UN: Focus on reviving Black Sea Grain Initiative

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stated that they are focused on reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Regarding alternative options other than the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said, “We believe that a return to the Black Sea Initiative will facilitate the export of millions of tons of grain and fertilizer from both the Russian Federation and Ukraine, ease markets and increase maritime security in the Black Sea.” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said at a press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi today, “We believe that the deficiencies should be remedied and the initiative should continue. I sincerely shared our views on this subject with my valued friend in our bilateral meeting.” Putin also made the following assessment, “We want to revive the grain corridor, we will do it. We will do it on one condition. We also want our agricultural products to reach the sea without obstacles.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a statement on August 31, noted that they were also taking into account Russia’s complaints and demands regarding the initiative, and said, “I sent a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and presented concrete proposals for the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.” Black Sea Grain Initiative In order to reduce the impact of the Ukraine-Russia War on global food prices, the UN, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative agreement at a ceremony held in Istanbul on July 22, 2022. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made a statement on July 17 regarding the expired agreement, saying, “The grain corridor agreement has effectively ended, it has been stopped. Russia will immediately return to the grain agreement as soon as the relevant conditions are implemented. The part of the agreement regarding Russia has not been fulfilled.”