The Chairperson of the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS), Ambassador Gabriel Ferrero y de Loma-Osorio, expresses his deepest regret of the decision taken by the Russian Federation to end the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. 

Facilitated by the United Nations and Türkiye in July 2022, the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Federation and the United Nations secured safe navigation and export of grains, fertilizers and other food commodities from Ukraine and Russia and have been essential to stabilize and reduce global food prices since.

More than 32 million metric tons of food commodities from Ukrainian ports reached global markets, alleviating the suffering of millions of people around the world. This includes 725,000 tons for humanitarian operations in the hardest hit countries in the world and as stated in the Secretary General’s press remarks on 17 July 2023 “Since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, and also taking into account the measures adopted by the Russian Federation, Russian grain trade has reached high export volumes and fertilizer markets are stabilizing with Russian exports nearing full recovery, as stated by the Russian Union of Grain Exporters and Russian Fertilizer Producers Association.”

These agreements have helped to reduce food prices with the FAO Global Food Price Index falling by over 23 per cent since March last year.

The continuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the full implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding would represent a lifeline for the realization of the Right to Adequate Food of millions of people around the world, and especially the poor and most vulnerable, who are hit most.

The CFS Chairperson calls on to the Russian Federation to resume the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and encourages all parties to the full implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding.

The CFS Chairperson echoes the UN Secretary-General´s press remarks delivered at the United Nations in New York on 17 July 2023, containing the details of the impact of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and an in-depth description of the status and progress on the implementation of the MOU between the Russian Federation and the United Nations.   

Rome, 18 July 2023