UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement that UN Secretary-General Guterres pointed to the essential role of food and fertilizer exports from Russia and Ukraine for global food security.
“The Secretary-General reiterates the importance of the full and continued implementation of the agreements signed in Istanbul in July 2022 to help ensure that these products reach global markets smoothly, efficiently and at scale,” Haq said.
Referring to the Black Sea Grain Corridor Agreement and the memorandum of understanding signed in July 2022 between the UN and the Moscow administration on the export of Russian food and fertilizer products, Haq said that these agreements are “a very rare indicator of what the world can do in difficult times.”
Haq emphasized that the agreements contributed to the fall in global food prices.
Stating that Guterres and his team are committed to improving the progress already made in this area and are in constant contact with stakeholders, Haq said, “The Secretary-General urges all concerned to prioritize global food security.”
Black Sea Grain Corridor Agreement
In order to reduce the impact of Russia’s attack on Ukraine on global food prices, the UN, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine signed the Black Sea Grain Corridor Agreement with a ceremony held in Istanbul on July 22, 2022.
The agreement, which has been extended several times before, will expire on July 17. Russian officials say they see no possibility of extending the agreement.
In its statement on July 4, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “Out of the 262 thousand tons of Russian fertilizer planned to be donated to countries in need since September 2022, only two batches have been shipped. 20,000 tons of the fertilizer were sent to Malawi and 34 thousand tons to Kenya. , continues to remain silent on these issues. In the West, it is reported that the sanctions against Russia cannot be eased, even on food and fertilizer. Under these conditions, there is no reason to continue the agreement, which will expire on July 17, “he said.