The Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, said Monday that millions would face starvation due to the failure to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Guterres stated from the UN HQ in New York that people would face a global crisis due to the increase in prices after the Russian decision to withdraw from the initiative, which began in July 2022. The UN-brokered Black Sea Initiative signed by Russia, Turkey and Ukraine enabled the export of millions of tons of grain and foodstuffs through the ports of Ukraine, and it played a role in global food security. Managed by the Istanbul-based Joint Coordination Centre, the initiative aims to facilitate exports from three Ukrainian seaports to other states, including countries where some populations are food insecure. The British government condemned Monday Russia’s announcement to terminate the Ukrainian grain export agreement. The Economist quoted a spokesman for the British Foreign Office as saying that “Russia, by unilaterally withdrawing from the agreement, has used food as a weapon and is preventing grain from reaching those who need it most.”
Source: Jordan News Agency