United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday (August 20) inspected a grain ship anchored off Turkish coast. A boat took the secretary general from Istanbul to the grain ship. The ship was chartered by the United Nations to transport Ukrainian grain on the southern shores of Istanbul.
Ukraine, a leading producer of foodgrains has been under attack from Russia since February 24 this year. The invasion created obstacles in the path of grain export from Ukraine raising the spectre of global food crisis. But a deal was brokered by the UN and Turkey between Ukraine and Russia that resulted in agreement for safe passage for grain ships from and to Ukraine
The agreement also guarantees Russia a right to sell fertilisers and agricultural products despite western sanctions. Guterres said that Russian fertilisers and agricultural products should be able to reach global markets ‘unimpeded’. He warned of a global food crisis next year should this not happen.
“It is important that all governments and the private sector cooperate to bring them to market,” he said from the Joint Coordination Center (JCC).
The JCC oversees the implementation of the Ukrainian grain export agreement signed in July by Kyiv and Moscow.
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“What we see here in Istanbul and in Odessa is only the more visible part of the solution. The other part of this package deal is the unimpeded access to the global markets of Russian food and fertiliser, which are not subject to sanctions,” Guterres said, adding that despite this, Russian fertiliser and agricultural exports still faced “obstacles.”
“Without fertiliser in 2022, there may not be enough food in 2023. Getting more food and fertiliser out of Ukraine and Russia is crucial to further calm commodity markets and lower prices for consumers,” he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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