The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Monday the Russian Federation has notified UN agencies of its intention to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the Memorandum of Understanding for two months. The announcement followed a meeting between UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebeca Grynspan and a high-level delegation from Russia, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, in Geneva. The discussions focused on the implementation of the two agreements signed on July 22, 2022: the Black Sea Grain Initiative between the Russian Federation, Turkiye, Ukraine and the United Nations; and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Federation and the UN, to facilitate unimpeded exports of food and fertilizer. The UN Secretary-General expressed today that the UN remains fully committed to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, as well as to efforts to facilitate the export of Russian food and fertilizer, according to the OCHA statement. The FAO Food Price Index has decreased for 10 consecutive months since reaching record high levels in March 2022, clearly demonstrating the positive impact of both agreements on global food prices. “The UN notes the announcement made today by the Russian Federation regarding an extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative for 60 days,” the statement affirmed. “The UN Secretary-General has confirmed that the UN will do everything possible to preserve the integrity of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and ensure its continuity. “The UN’s support to the agreements made in Istanbul is part of the global response to the most severe cost-of-living crisis in a generation,” it noted. The two agreements have had a positive impact on global food security, with millions of tons of grain reaching global markets. The Black Sea Grain Initiative have allowed the exports of 24 million MT of grains and over 1,600 secure vessel voyages through the Black Sea with 55 per cent of food exports going to developing countries. The continuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative is crucial for global food security, as grain and fertilizer prices and availability have not returned to pre-war levels, causing hardship particularly in developing countries.
Source: Kuwait News Agency