U.S., EU to continue to support grain initiative - ambassadors' statement
MOSCOW. March 27 (Interfax) - The Black Sea Grain Initiative is important to continue and expand, United States Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, who took part in a ceremony of sending the sixth ship under the Grain from Ukraine food program, said last Friday.
"The Black Sea Grain Initiative makes possible this vital lifeline to support the world's most food insecure people [...]. G7 leaders have made clear it is important to continue and expand this initiative," Ukrainian media quoted her as saying on social media.
As the Agrarian Policy Ministry noted, the Negmar Cicek ship, which will deliver 30,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid, left for Yemen from the Chernomorsk port.
The ceremony was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration Alexander Kubrakov, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Nikolai Solsky, Spanish Ambassador to Ukraine Ricardo Lopez-Aranda Jagu, Deputy Chief of Mission (French embassy in Ukraine) Benjamin Roehrig, and Deputy Director of the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP) in Ukraine Marianne Ward.
"I would like to thank the United States, Spain, and France for supporting this initiative. It is for their money that today's ship is being sent," Solsky said.
Brink noted that 65% of wheat exports through the Black Sea Grain Initiative are provided exactly to developing countries.
The U.S. ambassador noted that the U.S. would continue to support the initiative and would help expand the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
The Spanish ambassador said his country would add another 14.4 million euros to the more than 236.5 million euros previously announced. These funds are allocated as part of the Spanish Food Security Strategy.
The UNWFP deputy director in Ukraine emphasized that the Black Sea Grain Initiative contributed to maintaining stable grain prices in the world and provided access to food for the poorest countries.
Ward noted that when the ports did not operate, grain prices reached their ten-year high of nearly 30% higher than they were in 2021. She emphasized that an increase of just 1% in the price of grain unfortunately put about 10 million below the poverty line.
Under the Grain from Ukraine program, about 60 ships carrying grain are expected to be sent to the poorest countries in Africa. Previously, under this program, five vessels carrying wheat have been sent: Nord Vind, BC Callisto and Amira Hana delivered 25,000 tonnes, 30,000 tonnes and 30,000 tonnes to Ethiopia, respectively; Valsamitis - 25,000 tonnes to Kenya and 5,000 tonnes to Ethiopia; and Neva - 25,000 tonnes of wheat to Somalia.