New York, 17 November 2022 (TDI): The agreement achieved by parties to continue the Black Sea Grain Initiative was praised on Thursday by the head of the UN and senior EU officials.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative is also known as the Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports. It is a pact formed between Russia and Ukraine with Turkey and the UN during the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that “I welcome the agreement by all parties to continue the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
This will facilitate the safe navigation of the export of grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizers from Ukraine. The initiative demonstrates the importance of discreet diplomacy in finding multilateral solutions,” he added.
Moreover, the UN is firmly committed to assisting the Joint Coordination Centre in maintaining the smooth running of this essential supply channel.
Also, the UN is completely committed to removing any remaining restrictions on the Russian Federation’s export of food and fertilizer.
European Union (EU)
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, congratulated Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the development.
“Together with EU Solidarity Lanes the UN Black Sea Grain Initiative helps avoid global food shortages. It also brings down food prices despite Russia’s war,” she added.
In addition, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, praised the efforts. He called the accord “good news” for a world that truly needs access to grains and fertilizers.
Furthermore, Erdogan declared early on Thursday that the grain agreement had been extended for a further four months. “In accordance with the resolution reached by Türkiye, the UN, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative was extended for an additional 120 days beginning November 19, 2022. This was the result of the quadrilateral discussions hosted by Türkiye,” he said.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, `Erdogan and Guterres along with Ukraine collaborated to make a crucial decision. It was directed at a global effort to overcome the food crisis.
