Unilateral restrictive measures have further exacerbated the global food crisis, according to a statement on safeguarding international food security that was adopted by the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Uzbekistan on Friday.

Global food security nowadays faces grave challenges. Climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, regional conflicts and other factors have impacted the global food industry and supply chain, said the statement, adding that unilateral restrictions have further exacerbated the global food crisis.

In the statement, the SCO member states regard as unacceptable unilateral restrictive measures in violation of international law and their extra-territorial use, which destabilize the international food market and threaten the long-term stable economic and social development of all countries, especially developing and least developed countries.

The SCO member states also called for the reduction of other factors affecting the volatility of international food prices.

The SCO member states called on major grain-producing countries and net grain exporting countries to unleash their export potential, reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, ease market supply constraints and avoid excessive fluctuations in international food prices.