Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, expressed concern about the serious challenges being faced by many developing countries due to a combination of factors including the war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 crisis, and climate change. The UN's first official report on the impact of the war in Ukraine highlighted the devastating effects it is having on the global economy, leading to disruptions in food, energy, and finance for up to 1.7 billion people, a third of whom are already living in poverty. Rising energy prices, inflation, and stalled development are putting many countries at risk of defaulting on their debts. The report emphasized that these countries are already struggling to provide basic needs for their populations and are limited in their ability to address the challenges posed by global financial conditions. According to the report, 107 countries are severely affected by at least one of the crisis dimensions, with 69 countries facing severe exposure to all three dimensions. Ukraine and Russia are major contributors to the world's wheat and barley supply. The ongoing war has led to record high commodity prices, including a 34% increase in food prices and a 60% increase in crude oil prices compared to last year. The report highlights the vulnerability of populations in developing countries to these price fluctuations and warns of potential social unrest. However, the report suggests that decisive action, political will, and available resources could mitigate the impact. Recommendations include not hoarding food supplies, supporting small farmers, stabilizing freight costs, and lifting export restrictions. The report also calls for strategic fuel reserves to be made available to the global market and for a reduction in the use of wheat for fuel. This text is copyrighted by The New York Times Company.