UN says it will continue engagement with all involved in Black Sea grain deal

United Nations relief chief Martin Griffiths on Friday said the world body will continue its engagement with all involved in the Black Sea Grain Initiative to try to ensure that Russian and Ukrainian food and fertilizer can continue to reach global markets.

"Unified international support is essential if this is to be successful," said Griffiths, UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.

Food and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and Russia remain of crucial importance to global food security, he told a Security Council meeting.

Russia and Ukraine signed separately with Türkiye and the United Nations the Black Sea Grain Initiative in Istanbul in July 2022, which allowed Ukraine to export its grain and other agricultural products from its Black Sea ports.

Moscow suspended its participation in the agreement on July 17, 2023, saying that it would return to the deal as soon as the Russian part of the agreements is fulfilled.

According to Griffiths, in the space of 12 months, the Black Sea Grain Initiative has enabled the safe export of close to 33 million tonnes of food from Ukrainian Black Sea ports to 45 countries, aboard more than 1,000 outbound vessels.

Also speaking at the Security Council meeting, Rosemary DiCarlo, UN undersecretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, echoed the remarks of Griffiths.

"The (UN) secretary-general has been clear: we will not stop our efforts to facilitate the unimpeded access to global markets for food and fertilizers from both Ukraine and the Russian Federation," she said.

Citing the recent situation, DiCarlo stressed that any risk of conflict spillover as a result of a military incident in the Black Sea, whether intentional or by accident, must be avoided at all costs.

(CGTN)