BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE decision by Russia to suspend the Black Sea Grain Initiative is being chastised by the United States as it could send food prices skyrocketing around the world.
Ukraine, which is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat and grain, has been locked in intense fighting with Russia since last year, and it has hampered the flow of vital food supply out of that country as its ports are affected in the war.
Since the war started more than 12 months ago, food prices across the world have increased significantly, and the United Nations and partners brokered the deal to have critical grain supply shipped out through the ports.
Now, Russia has refused to extend the agreement.
“The United States deeply regrets Russia’s decision to suspend participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The Russian government’s continued weaponization of food harms millions of vulnerable people around the world,” US Secretary of State Anthony Blinkin said in response to the position taken by Moscow.
According to Blinkin, since August last year, the Black Sea Grain Initiative has shipped over 32 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain and foodstuff to the world, including some of the most food-insecured regions of the globe like the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, Yemen and Afghanistan.
Russia sent a letter yesterday morning (Jul. 17) to the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) which brokered the deal and overseas the initiative, indicating that it would suspended the initiative because several parties, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have not been keeping the pact fairly.
But Blinkin in his speech noted that “the UN has facilitated Russian exports of food, coordinating with the private sector and with the US, EU, and UK to clarify any concerns raised by Russia”
He noted that no G7 sanctions are in place on Russian food and fertilizer exports. But Russia is sticking to its position that its demands must be met before it resumes the agreement, according to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
“This decision is consistent with Russia’s veto last week of a UN Security Council’s resolution reauthorizing critical cross-border humanitarian assistance to Syrians. The cynical actions hurt the world’s most vulnerable,” the top US Diplomat said.
The agreement is set to expire today (Jul.18) and Blink urged the Government of Russia to “reverse its decision, to resume negotiations, and to extend, expand and fully implement the Initiative immediately”.
Since the announcement, the price of grains has increased on the world market.
