Ukraine's grain export deal - crucial to stem the global food crisis - is in "
difficult
" situation, says UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths, hoping it will be renewed on March 18 .
This agreement sealed in July 2022 between the UN, Ukraine, Russia and Turkey has made it possible to limit the serious global food crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
It was renewed in mid-November for 120 days, and must be renewed on March 18, indicated Martin Griffiths, during a press conference in Geneva.
"
I want to say that before the last renewal I had expressed some confidence that it would happen
," he said.
But "
I think we're in a slightly more difficult situation right now
," he said, noting that the grain deal "
works in tandem
" with the UN-Russia deal on exports. of Russian fertilizers.
The hope of a renewed agreement in mid-March
Martin Griffiths explained that this second agreement, also signed in July 2022 but which runs for three years, "
is much more complicated, in many respects (...) to make it work
" than that on cereals, but "
it is important that it works, it is important that we bring out the Russian fertilizers
”.
Moscow has complained that its exports of fertilizer, a staple for global agriculture, are de facto blocked despite not falling under sanctions imposed by Western countries since the start of the war .
Martin Griffiths, however, said he "
hopes and believes
" that the grain deal will be renewed in mid-March, underlining its importance for global food security.
The agreement has now allowed nearly 20 million tonnes of grain to reach millions of people around the world, he explained.
On January 18, the UN indicated that China was the first recipient of exports made under the agreement, Spain the second and Turkey the third.
As of the same date, nearly 44% of exported wheat had been shipped to low- and middle-income countries, including 64% to developing economies.
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The World Food Program (WFP) last year bought 8% of the total wheat exported through this agreement, to support its humanitarian operations in hunger-stricken regions of the world.
More than 1,300 trips have been enabled so far by the Joint Coordination Center team - made up of officials from the UN, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine, according to the UN.
