United Nations-Security Council Briefing on the Black sea Initiative

Mr. President,
I would like to thank Under Secretary-General Martin Griffiths and Ms. Rebecca Grynspan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for their briefings on the status of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Today’s session provides us with an opportunity to assess the benefits and challenges of the Black Sea Grain initiative brokered by Türkiye and the United Nations to resume stalled food and fertilizer exports from the Russian Federation and Ukraine to the rest of the world. The Back Sea Grain Initiative is important in addressing global food security challenges and symbolized a major diplomatic breakthrough in the ongoing war on Ukraine. It demonstrated the ability of the warring sides to reach
agreement through dialogue and cooperation, at least on humanitarian
matters and gave hope for the future. International response to the signing of
the deal in July this year, reflected a clear demand for the timely and
unobstructed supply of grains from Ukraine to other parts of the world to
help address exceptionally high food prices.
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4. As we have heard, a little more than nine and a half million tons of grain
including, corn, wheat, barley, rapeseed and sunflower seeds have been
exported under the initiative to both upper and lower-income countries. We
also note that shipments under United Nations food aid programmes to
Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, Syria and Yemen have been made possible
under the initiative, pushing back the spectacle of hunger for millions of
people. It is also evident that global markets had begun to respond
positively to the exports with steady monthly decreases in global food
prices.
5. It is in this context and in the wider interest of all humanity that we urge a
reconsideration by the Russian Federation of its decision to suspend its
involvement in the initiative. The full commitment of all parties to the
implementation of the grain deal is crucial to avoid a reversal of the notable
gains and a rebound of food price hikes. We fear worsening times if nothing
is done to restore the full operationalization of the initiative, especially as we
enter into the winter season.
6. We call on all Council Members and the international community to support
the intensified engagements of the Secretary-General and Turkiye in this
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regard and urge the parties to work closely and collaboratively in finding a
pathway out of the present stalemate. We also call for close cooperation
through the Joint Coordination Centre on immediate next steps including,
the inspection and granting of safe passage to vessels already in the
demarcated humanitarian corridors of the Black Sea.
7. We call for restraint against unilateral actions that are likely to upend the full
resumption of the grain initiative and its possible renewal in November
when it is expected to expire.
8. In keeping with the humanitarian objective, equal efforts mut also be made
facilitate the export of Russian fertilizer and other agro-products critical to
agrarian reliant economies.
Finally, Mr. President,
9. We call for concerted international efforts and diplomacy towards ending the
war. It is in our common interest to support a peaceful settlement of the
conflict and to avoid divisive approaches which tend only to aggravate the
hostilities and protract the war. We urge the resumption of dialogue towards
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reaching a comprehensive and mutually acceptable settlement of the conflict
.
I thank you.