United Nations: The end of the "grain agreement" threatens millions with starvation and death

 

  Exporting Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea "potentially threatens millions of people with starvation and worse".

Earlier, last Monday, Russia announced its withdrawal from the agreement to export grain across the Black Sea, justifying its position that its demands related to subsidizing its exports of foodstuffs and fertilizers were not met, and it also criticized the lack of sufficient quantities of Ukrainian grain to reach poor countries.

US wheat futures rose in Chicago by more than 6% this week and achieved their largest daily gains, last Wednesday, since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but some of these gains were reduced, on Friday, due to hopes pinned on Russia to resume its talks on the agreement.

"Families in developing countries will feel a sharp rise in prices," Griffiths told the Security Council, noting that 362 million people in 69 countries currently need humanitarian assistance.

"Some will go hungry, some will starve, and many may die as a result of these decisions," he added.

The United Nations and Turkey brokered the agreement last year to address the global food crisis exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine and Russia are the largest grain exporters.

Earlier, last Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow is ready to reconsider returning to the agreement to export Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, but on condition of "full respect and implementation of all the principles of Russian participation agreed upon without exception within the framework of the deal," stressing that Russia is not against the agreement in itself.

During a meeting with the Russian government, Putin stipulated a return to the grain agreement, the lifting of sanctions on Russian grain and fertilizer exports to world markets, and the removal of all barriers to Russian banks and financial institutions that serve exports of food products and fertilizers.

He also stipulated that these institutions be immediately reconnected with the international banking system, "Swift", for financial transactions, adding: "We do not need any promises or ideas in this regard. We need to implement these conditions."

The United Nations said the agreement benefited poor countries by helping to reduce food prices by more than 23 percent around the world.

The United Nations World Food Program transported 725,000 tons of Ukrainian grain as part of relief operations in Afghanistan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

But Mikhail Khan, a macroeconomist who was asked by Russia to speak to the Security Council, said the poorest countries received only 3% of the grain.

Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, told the Security Council on Friday that Russian attacks on Ukraine's Black Sea ports carried "far-reaching risks to global food security, particularly in developing countries."

"Any risk of conflict spillover as a result of a military incident in the Black Sea, whether intentional or accidental, must be avoided at all costs, as this could lead to potentially catastrophic consequences for all of us," she added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes to meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, next month.

Turkish television stations quoted Erdogan as saying, on Friday, that these talks may lead to the return of the agreement, calling on Western countries to consider Russia's demands.