As the November 19 expiration date for the Black Sea grain initiative approaches, UN Security Council members have called for continued support of the measure as the world continues to face the effects of a food crisis.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US ambassador to the UN, appealed on Wednesday to council members to support and secure an extension of the initiative, which was signed in July.
The agreement has helped to stabilise food markets, she said, with reports that prices have fallen to levels not seen since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February.
“Two thirds of the wheat exported under the initiative has gone to the Global South, but the deadline for renewing the deal is fast approaching,” she added.
“Russia must extend this essential life-saving arrangement. Russia must allow these ships to keep feeding the world and I call on our fellow council members to make the same calls with the same urgency to keep the deal alive.”
The deal guarantees safe passage for Ukrainian grain exports through certain Black Sea ports as the war with Russia continues.
Ukraine war latest — in pictures
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Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev for talks before a meeting between the Russian president and the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, Russia. AFP -
People take water from a water pump in Kyiv. EPA -
A woman walks past a damaged building in the town of Nova Kakhovka. Reuters -
A woman outside her home, which was destroyed during battles at the start of the conflict, in Yahidne, Chernihiv. Getty Images -
People shelter inside a subway station during a Russian missile attack in Kyiv. Reuters -
Firefighters at the site of a drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. AP -
A woman walks past the site of a Russian missile strike in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv. Reuters -
Rescuer workers at a building destroyed in an attack in Mykolaiv. Reuters -
Parts of a drone lie on a street in Kyiv. Reuters -
A drone flies over the Ukrainian capital during an attack. AFP -
Ukrainian servicemen tow a captured Russian armoured vehicle in Rudneve village, Kharkiv. EPA -
A partially destroyed residential building in Saltivka, in Kharkiv. AP -
Ukrainian servicemen fire a captured Russian howitzer on a front line near Kupyansk city, Kharkiv. EPA -
Ukrainian servicemen near the recently retaken town of Lyman in Donetsk region. AFP -
An officer from a Ukrainian national police emergency demining team prepares to detonate collected anti-tank mines and explosives near Lyman, in the Donetsk region. AFP -
A boy playing on a destroyed Russian tank on display in Kyiv. AFP -
A young couple hiding underground during an air alert in Zaporizhzhia. AFP -
Ukrainian firefighters looking for survivors after a strike in Zaporizhzhia. AFP -
Workers fix a banner reading 'Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson - Russia!' to the State Historical Museum near Red Square in Moscow. AFP -
Residents try to cross a destroyed bridge in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. AFP -
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Ukrainian flags in the town square in Balakiya. Getty Images -
A destroyed Russian command centre in Izium, Ukraine. Getty Images -
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Russian recruits board the train to Ukraine in Volgograd. AP -
Ukrainian soliders drive a tank at the recently retaken eastern side of the Oskil River in Kharkiv region, Ukraine. AFP -
Volunteers pass boxes of food aid on a destroyed bridge over the Oskil River. AFP -
Ukrainian soliders rest on an armoured personnel carrier. AFP -
A sign warns of landmines in Izyum, eastern Ukraine. AFP -
This crater was left after a missile strike in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. AFP
The deal, first struck between Russia and Ukraine via UN and Turkish mediation, will be automatically renewed unless one of the parties objects.
The price of wheat has risen 50 per cent since 2021 but stabilised partly because of the Black Sea grain initiative.
UN figures show that nearly 500 ships carrying more than 10 million metric tonnes of grain and other food items have departed under the initiative to the world's poorest countries.
The UAE's UN envoy, Lana Nusseibeh, echoed the US ambassador's call and urged stakeholders to reach a solution that ensures the extension of the agreement.
“In addition to the export of grains, the supply of ammonia and fertilisers which are crucial to ensure adequate crop yields for next year's harvest are also a priority,” Ms Nusseibeh said.
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“As the secretary general has said, we cannot let this year's crisis of affordability become next year's crisis of availability.”
She also called on council members to support any efforts or talks and to focus on measures that can bring Russia and Ukraine together rather than “further apart”.
Taking a harder line, Nicolas de Riviere, France's UN ambassador, accused Moscow of “instrumentalising food insecurity and malnutrition”.
“After having, first of all, suspended for several days its participation in the Black Sea grain initiative, Russia is now looking to use its agreement to the renewal of those cards as a bargaining chip,” Mr de Riviere said. “This blackmail is unacceptable.”
Moscow has been holding out on renewing the agreement due to what it perceives as unfair implementation due to sanctions on Russian agricultural exports. Russia suspended the deal for four days in October.
Russia has asked for unhindered access to world markets for its own food and fertiliser exports in return for agreeing to continue the Black Sea export deal.
Russia assailed at UN Security Council over Ukraine war — in pictures
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends a meeting of the UN Security Council during which Moscow was strongly criticised over the war in Ukraine. Reuters -
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba speaks at the meeting, in which US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russian President Vladimir Putin should be held to account. AFP -
Mr Lavrov defended Russia's actions in Ukraine. Reuters -
Mr Blinken listens to Mr Lavrov. Russia has announced a "partial mobilisation" of citizens, calling up 300,000 reservists to fight in Ukraine. AFP -
Mr Lavrov at the UN. Russia has stated its willingness to use nuclear weapons to defend its territory. Reuters -
Mr Blinken speaks in New York. Reuters -
Mr Lavrov and Russian deputy foreign minister Sergey Vershinin, left, confer during the Security Council meeting on Ukraine. EPA -
Britain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly watches Mr Lavrov walk out while he is speaking. AP Photo -
Mr Lavrov leaving the chamber. Reuters -
Mr Blinken is deep in concentration. Reuters
It complained that the deal was allowing Ukrainian grain past its navy on the Black Sea while its own grain and fertiliser exports were not given equal access to world markets.
UN and Russian officials met on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Tuesday that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had given Moscow written assurances that “all the economic operators that participate in Russian fertiliser, grain and supply chains” would not face sanctions for trading in Russian grain.
This would allow Russian ships to visit European ports and for the Russian agricultural bank to “work fully”, Mr Lavrov said.
Rosemary Di Carlo, the UN undersecretary general for political affairs, told council members on Wednesday that Mr Guterres has continued his engagement with all parties in support of the renewal and full implementation of the initiative.
Mr Guterres, she added, has also emphasised his commitment to removing remaining obstacles to Russian food and fertiliser exports.
“These products are not under international sanctions but suffer in direct impacts,” said Ms Di Carlo.
