Ukraine and the UN WFP discussed the prospects of the “Grain Initiative”

Ukraine and the UN World Food Program discussed further implementation of the Black Sea Initiative. The parties also noted the development of alternative logistics routes for Ukrainian grain.

Oleksandr Kubrakov held talks with UN WFP Deputy Executive Director Ramiro Lopez da Silva and WFP Ukraine Director Matthew Hollingworth. The parties discussed the implementation and prospects for the continuation of the “Grain Initiative”, according to the Facebook page of the Ministry of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure.

Attention was also focused on the development of alternative logistics routes for agricultural exports. In particular, they discussed the work of the EU initiative “Paths of Solidarity”. The parties paid special attention to the possibilities of global business investment in the Danube port cluster.

“Ukraine feels its global responsibility as one of the guarantors of food security in the world. That is why we are currently actively working with international partners to support the development of Ukrainian logistics. The civilized world should not allow russia to hold millions of people in Africa and Asia hostage to hunger,” Kubrakov said.

In addition, the UN WFP shared plans to support small agricultural producers and projects for demining territories for the cultivation of grain crops.

In total, since August 1, 2022, Ukraine has exported 24.4 million tons of food to the countries of Asia, Europe and Africa through the ports of Great Odesa. In particular, almost half a million tons of food was sent to the poorest countries in the world in partnership with the UN WFP.

The export figures could be significantly higher if it were not for russia’s delays in the inspection work in the Bosphorus. Thus, in February, only 149 vessel inspections were conducted against the planned 296. This situation leads to the formation of traffic jams at the entrance to the Bosphorus, which steadily reaches 120-140 vessels.