'Impressive advocate': UN Aid chief commends Turkiye's role in Black Sea grain deal

The UN Aid chief said on Friday that Turkiye plays a “very active” role in the Black Sea grain deal as the deadline is nearing to extend the agreement beyond 17 July, Anadolu Agency reports.

“We speak two or three times a week with Ankara about it,” Martin Griffiths told reporters at UN headquarters in New York. “Turkiye is a big, impressive advocate and a diplomatic actor in this.”

His remarks came amid concerns that Russia will not agree to extend the grain deal.

The agreement, initially signed in July of last year in Istanbul by Turkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine, aimed to resume grain exports from Ukrainian ports. These exports had been halted due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine that began in February.

On 18 May, the deal was extended for an additional 60 days, ensuring the continuation of grain exports under the agreement.

Russia is seeking the removal of obstacles to its fertiliser exports in order to agree to another extension of the grain deal, including the inclusion of its state-owned Russian Agricultural Bank in the SWIFT international payment system.

READ: Russia says ‘no grounds’ for extension of Black Sea grain deal

Moscow also demands the response of its ammonia exports via Ukraine.

There are no Western sanctions on Russian exports of food and fertilisers but Russia says banking restrictions impact its exports.

Terrible consequences

Griffiths warned of terrible consequences unless the grain deal is extended.

“We don’t want to go through this every three months; it’s hugely damaging to commercial confidence. It’s damaging to the impact on food prices. And it’s damaging to the people in the global south we deal with who depend on certain amount of reliability of supply,” he said.

“We are now going through the great harvesting season … when the harvest comes into the silos … and if it doesn’t start moving around the world, the (food) prices … will spike again.”

UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, also stated the indispensable role food and fertiliser exports from Russia and Ukraine continue to play in support of global food security.

He called for the full and continued implementation of the agreements signed in Istanbul last year.

“The agreements are contributing to sustained reductions in global food prices, which are now more than 23 per cent below the record highs reached in March last year,” said the statement.

He urged all concerned parties to prioritise global food security.

READ: UN urges removal of obstacles for continuation of Black Sea grain deal