2 yıl önce

UN chief welcomes opening of Ukraine grain coordination centre in Istanbul

Antonio Guterres expressed his gratitude to Türkiye for providing a platform to help resume Ukrainian grain exports to the world via the Black Sea.

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Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed a deal last week to reopen three Ukrainian ports – Odessa, Chernomorsk and Pivdennyi – for grain that had been stuck for months.

UN chief Antonio Guterres has welcomed the inauguration of the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) established in Istanbul as part of a historic deal to restart Ukrainian grain exports to the world.

The UN chief also thanked Russia and Ukraine on Thursday “for nominating and quickly sending their senior representatives to Istanbul,” where the centre was officially opened on Wednesday.

“The Secretary-General is grateful to Türkiye for providing the Parties and the United Nations with a platform to help operationalise the Black Sea Grain Initiative,” Farhan Haq, Guterres’ deputy spokesperson, said in a statement.

“He underscores the importance of the Parties working in partnership directly to effectively implement the Black Sea Grain Initiative, with a view to reducing global food insecurity,” Haq said.

The work of the JCC will enable the safe transportation, by merchant ships, of grain and related foodstuffs and fertilisers from three key Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea to the rest of the world, Haq added.

Historic deal

Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed a deal last week to reopen three Ukrainian ports – Odessa, Chernomorsk and Pivdennyi – for grain that had been stuck for months due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, which is now in its sixth month.

The deal came after an agreement was reached between stakeholders on a UN-led plan to form a coordination centre in Istanbul to carry out joint inspections at the entrances and exits of harbours, and to ensure the safety of routes.

All parties have appointed representatives to monitor the implementation of the plan.