Already reeling from Covid-19, the Ukraine war has introduced new risks likely to wallop Africa, according to UN development experts.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine will affect food security on the continent, both through the availability and prices of imported food, along with rising uncertainties in global financial markets and supply chains.

Russia and Ukraine, the world's breadbasket, are major players in the export of wheat and sunflower to Africa.

Between them, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan and South Africa, account for 80 percent of all wheat imports, which are projected to reach 76.5 million tonnes by 2025.

UNDP's senior Africa economist Raymond Gilpin said the continent's dependence on imports of food, fuel, medicines and consumer goods made it particularly vulnerable to rising global inflation.

Describing the situation as an "unprecedented crisis for the continent," he said Africa is facing a trifecta of "ongoing effects of Covid, newly felt effects of the Russia-Ukraine war, and climate-related challenges."

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"As the cost of fuel becomes more expensive, energy sources, energy prices, don't fall in African countries, we are going to see millions of households going back to unsustainable energy sources in many fragile environments," Raymond said.

"We are going to see a lot more deforestation and a rollback of a significant progress that had been made in the greening of the Sahel."

Also, tensions would likely rise, with a "distinct possibility" of spilling over into violent protests, he added.

The Covid pandemic had already created "immense discontent" across the continent, said Ahunna Eziakonwa, director of the UN Development Programme's (UNDP) Africa bureau, Friday. 

Covid has pushed tens of millions of people into poverty and "pushed back" democracy in parts of Africa, she added.

The pandemic has also complicated efforts to overcome insecurity and violence, the UNDP regional director continued, referring to the violent extremism and climate shocks that have destabilised vast areas of the Sahel region in recent years.

Drawing attention to the "global pandemic that upended the world and changed it forever, the bureau chief said: "We have never experienced greater pressure and challenge in our ability to sustain peace and development and a healthy planet, as we experience today."

"We saw how Covid-19 complicated the effort to maintain or to overcome the insecurity that's created by many forces including violent extremism and the impact of this, the consequence, affected lives and livelihoods but also creating an immense discontent about the population which led to a regression in democracy."

It has also resulted in a surge of "pre-existing conditions, rising poverty and inequality," she added.