The UN Security Council has been unable to agree on a statement welcoming last week’s deal to get grain and fertiliser moving from
Ukraine and Russia to millions of hungry people around the world, Norway’s UN ambassador has said.
The statement also would have commended secretary-general Antonio Guterres and Turkey’s government for their key roles in arranging the agreement.
“Norway and Mexico have been working for days to unify the council in one message welcoming the significant deal to resume exports of grains, foodstuffs and fertilisers through the Black Sea,” Norwegian Ambassador Mona Juul told The Associated Press. “We regret that this was not possible.”
Russia and Ukraine signed separate agreements Friday with Turkey and the UN clearing the way for Ukraine — one of the world’s key breadbaskets — to export 22m tons of grain and other agricultural goods that have been stuck in Black Sea ports because of Russia’s invasion.
The deal also aims to ensure that Russian food and fertiliser have unrestricted access to world markets.
Council diplomats said Russia objected to the last draft statement on the grain deal because it mentioned Guterres’ condemnation of Saturday’s airstrike.
The proposed statement from Norway and Mexico, obtained by AP, would have welcomed the progress at Friday’s signing of the deal “towards ensuring the safe and secure export of grains, foodstuffs and fertilisers from Ukraine and the Russian Federation.”
It would have commended Guterres and Turkey and called for swift implementation of commitments made in Istanbul.
“A unified statement from the council welcoming the deal and commending the secretary-general for his efforts would have been an important signal,” Juul said.
“Norway believes the personal efforts and engagement of the secretary-general has been essential in facilitating negotiations between the parties,” Juul said. “These efforts are more important than ever, as the effects of the war continue to be felt by the people of Ukraine and beyond.”