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Grain exported from Ukraine should reach people who need it — UN official

UN Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al- Nashif called for full compliance with the terms of the grain deal

GENEVA, September 13. /TASS/. Grain and other food exported from the ports of Ukraine under the agreement concluded in July in Istanbul should be delivered to those who need it, Nada Al-Nashif, UN Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in Geneva on Monday. She called for full compliance with the terms of the grain deal.

Speaking at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council, she drew attention to the " socio-economic consequences" of the events in Ukraine, including "severe fuel shortages and threats to food security in some of the poorest countries."

"I welcome and call for the full respect of the landmark agreement involving Russia, Ukraine, the United Nations and Turkiye in July, which allowed the resumption of shipments of grain and other food supplies from Ukrainian ports and I urge the international community to ensure the food reaches the people who need it," Nada Al- Nashif said.

On September 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the grain deal concluded in Istanbul turned out to be "another brazen deception." He noted that almost all the food exported from Ukraine went to the EU countries, while Russia and the poorest countries were deceived. He added that world food prices continue to rise due to restrictions on Russian exports, which persist despite the formal withdrawal of products and fertilizers from sanctions.

The export of grain from Ukrainian ports, including for humanitarian purposes, is carried out on a commercial basis at the expense of financing of the UN World Food Program by donor countries. On July 22, a package of documents was signed in Istanbul to solve the problem of food and fertilizer supplies to world markets. One of the agreements regulates the procedure for the export of grain from the Black Sea ports controlled by Kiev. Established by Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN, the four-sided center in Istanbul is designed to inspect grain ships in order to prevent arms smuggling and provocations.