WFP chief says renewing Black Sea grain deal essential for Africa | – #WFP #chief #renewing #Black #Sea #grain #deal #essential #Africa
MUNICH, February 18 (Reuters) – UNof food the head of the agency warned that Ukraine Russia allowing the export of grain from ports blockaded by UNIt will be disastrous if the initiative supported by hunger is on the verge. Saturday.
High class on Friday Ukraine the official said that the negotiations on the extension of the trade agreement will start in a week.
“This is very important,” said David Beasley, director of the World Food Program (WFP), in an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the Munich Security Forum.
“With all the crises we face around the world, climate change, drought, floods, we cannot allow the Black Sea Grain initiative to fail completely,” Beasley said.
Last July, the grain agreement reached through the mediation of the United Nations and Turkey three Ukraine allowed to export from the port.
The contract was extended for another 120 days in November and will be extended again in March, however Russia expressed his dissatisfaction with some aspects of the agreement and village sanctions affecting agricultural exports cancellation asked to be done.
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Beasley, according to the UN, in particular European Unionsaid the current flow of goods and grain benefiting China and Turkey is nowhere near where it should be right now.
He warned Moscow that closing the ports would be disastrous, especially in Africa, where millions of people are facing starvation. “Africa is very fragile right now. Fifty million people (are) knocking on the door of hunger,” he said.
“Food prices, fuel costs, debt inflation and three years of COVID… people just can’t cope anymore and if we don’t step in and cut costs, 2024 could be the worst year we’ve seen in hundreds of years. .”
Reporting by John Irish; Edited by Jason Neely and David Holmes
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2023-02-18 19:42:51
Source – reuters
Translation“24 HOURS”