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United Nations, 17th November (PTI) India has expressed hope that the Black Sea grain and fertilizer package deal brokered by the United Nations, which allows Ukraine to export grain amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, will be renewed and fully implemented in the coming days.
The UN-brokered deal expires on November 19. The July 22 agreement allowed grain shipments to resume from certain Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, leading to shipments of about 10 million tonnes and helping to lower international prices.
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“In terms of specific initiatives on issues such as food and fertilizer transportation, we hope that the Black Sea food and fertilizer package agreement brokered by the United Nations will be updated in the next few days and be seriously implemented by all parties in all aspects of it,” India’s ambassador to India said. U.N. representative Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj told a U.N. Security Council briefing on Ukraine on Wednesday.
Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Rosemary DiCarlo told the council that extending the Black Sea Food Initiative remained “vital” to help avert a food crisis for millions.
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More than 10 million metric tons of food have been transported under the initiative and have arrived or are in the process of being transported to some 40 countries.
“The impact of this initiative extends far beyond direct port arrivals, helping to reduce global prices of food staples,” DiCarlo said, adding that Secretary-General António Guterres continued to engage with all parties to support Renew and fully implement the initiative.
He also stressed his commitment to removing remaining obstacles to Russian food and fertilizer exports. These products are not subject to international sanctions, but are indirectly affected.
“It’s important and critical to get them back on the world market — the sooner the better,” DiCarlo said.
Kamboj reiterated that India remains concerned about the situation in Ukraine, including the targeting of civilian infrastructure and the death of civilians. Since the start of the conflict, India has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to violence, she said.
“We call on both sides to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue and express our support for all diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict. Therefore, we stand ready to support all efforts aimed at de-escalating the situation,” she said, adding that Prime Minister Narend Ramody has “made it clear that this cannot be an era of war.”
Kamboji added that India hopes that the international community will continue to actively respond to calls for humanitarian assistance. India has so far delivered 12 humanitarian aid shipments to Ukraine and stands ready to provide more.
“The impact of the conflict in Ukraine is not limited to Europe. The global South in particular faces severe economic consequences. We are also seeing growing concerns about energy and food security from the conflict after two years of severe stress from the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said Say.
Stressing that India’s approach to the conflict in Ukraine will continue to be people-centred, Kamboj said India was providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine and economic support to some of its neighbors in the economically struggling global south.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the body of content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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