Posted on November, 21, 2022 at 08:04 am
Russia and Ukraine on Thursday agreed to extend the grain deal – known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative – by another 120 days, as the existing agreement is to end on Saturday
The UAE joined the UN Secretary-General António Guterres to welcome the extension of the UN-brokered grain exports deal between Ukraine and Russia.
Russia and Ukraine agreed on Thursday to extend the grain deal – known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative – by another 120 days, as the existing agreement is to end on Saturday.
The deal allows grain exports from Ukrainian ports through a safe corridor in the Black Sea.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC), said in a statement, has commended efforts by Turkey and the UN for extension of the deal by another four months.
“The extension of the deal is a positive step that will contribute to facilitating the transportation of grain from Ukraine and Russia across the Black Sea, thereby alleviating global food shortages,” the ministry statement said.
The UAE foreign ministry also expressed its appreciation to the Russian and Ukrainian governments for their response to the efforts for extension of the deal.
The UAE also expressed its hope that these endeavors would contribute to the establishment of peace between the two countries, noting the importance of converging views to promote regional and international peace and stability.
Earlier, speaking from Cairo, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a video tweet that he was “deeply moved” and grateful that an agreement had been reached in Istanbul.
The UN chief also expressed his deep commitment to remove the “remaining obstacles to the unimpeded exports of Russian food and fertilizers”, as these remain “essential” to avoid a food crisis next year.
“The Black Sea Grain Initiative continues to demonstrate the importance of discreet diplomacy in the context of finding multilateral solutions,” Guterres said.
More than 11.1 million tonnes of grain and essential foodstuffs have been shipped as part of the agreement involving Türkey, Ukraine, Russia and the UN since it was signed on July 22.
The grain export has served as a lifeline to Ukraine’s crippled economy amid the ongoing conflict and helped ease food shortages around the world.
According to the agreement reached in Istanbul, the export deal will continue with the existing provisions.
Ships will carry grain from three Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odessa and Yuzhny and Pivdennyi.
They will travel through the humanitarian corridor set up in the Black Sea and stop in Istanbul for inspection before continuing to the final destination.
The grain deal is vital for many African countries as they face crop failure due to weather extremes and internal conflicts.
The countries that will benefit from the deal include Egypt, Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan Senegal, Rwanda, Congo, Libya, Tanzania and Namibia.
Source: The Arabian Business