European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday praised Turkey and the United Nations for reaching an agreement to resume Ukrainian grain exports, saying that “thanks to Turkey, the first shipment of Ukrainian grain has arrived in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.”
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This came during a press conference held by Borrell in the Czech capital, Prague, after the informal meeting of the European Union Defense Ministers.
He added, “We are happy to see that the Black Sea Grain Agreement continues to operate. Congratulations once again to the United Nations and thanks to Turkey, the first shipment arrived in Djibouti today.”
He stressed that the Horn of Africa “is in dire need” of grain from Ukraine.
Borrell promised during the press conference that the European Union would continue to “monitor the implementation of the agreement.”
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The UN-chartered vessel carrying more than 23,000 tons of Ukrainian grain arrived earlier today at the port of Djibouti, where the grain will be unloaded and transported overland to Ethiopia, one of five countries considered by the UN to be at risk of starvation.
This is the first humanitarian shipment to sail under the auspices of the World Food Program since the agreement on Ukraine’s grain exports was reached in Istanbul last month.
On July 22, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations signed the “Document on the Safe Shipping Initiative for Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports” during a meeting hosted by Istanbul.
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The agreement guarantees securing exports of grain stuck in the Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea (Eastern Europe) to the world.
