Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, has warned that a combination of factors including the war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 crisis, and climate change are creating a dangerous situation for many developing countries. The UN's first official report on the war's impact highlighted the "alarming cascading effects" on the global economy, with up to 1.7 billion people, a third of whom are already living in poverty, facing disruptions in food, energy, and finance. Rising energy prices, inflation, and stalled development are putting many countries at risk of defaulting on their debts. The report emphasized that these are countries where people struggle to afford basic necessities, rely on imports for food and energy, and have limited resources to cope with global financial challenges. The report indicated that 107 countries are severely impacted by at least one of the three dimensions of the crisis, with 69 of those nations facing severe exposure to all three dimensions. Ukraine and Russia are responsible for approximately 30% of the world's wheat and barley production. The conflict has led to a surge in commodity prices, with food prices 34% higher than the previous year and crude oil prices up by around 60%, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Vulnerable populations in developing countries are particularly at risk from these price increases, which could lead to social unrest. The report suggests that swift action, political will, and existing resources could help mitigate the effects, recommending measures such as not hoarding food supplies, supporting small farmers, stabilizing freight costs, and lifting export restrictions. Governments are urged to make strategic fuel reserves available to the global market and reduce the use of wheat for fuel. Text = The New York Times Company holds the copyright.