Only 1 Out Of 34 Ships Exporting Grain From Ukraine Went To Africa - Russian Envoy To UN

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th August, 2022) Only one out of the 34 ships exporting grain from three Ukrainian ports under the United Nations-brokered Black Sea Initiative has gone to Africa, Russian Ambassador to the world body Vasiliy Nebenzia said.

"A kind of 'success story' is considered to be the so-called Black Sea initiative of the UN Secretary General, especially in terms of the unhindered export of food from Ukraine. However, there are alarming trends here as well - during the four weeks of export operations, out of 34 dry cargo ships, only one went to Africa," Nebenzia said during a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine on Wednesday.

Nebenzia pointed out that that this number is not consistent with the initially stated goal of combating hunger in the developing countries.

The Russian ambassador also noted that the Western countries' sanctions against Russia whose effects they badly miscalculated are the cause of the global food security crisis rather than the lack of exports from Ukraine.

The Black Sea Initiative was signed by Russia and Ukraine on July 22. The United Nations introduced the deal in a way that it will help to tackle the global food insecurity crisis that resulted in lack of food and skyrocketing prices.

Wednesday's meeting on the situation in Ukraine was requested by the Western member states of the UN Security Council.