«Ukraine has always been and strives to remain a reliable guarantor of food security for African countries. Ukraine calls on them to join forces to guarantee food exports from Ukraine after Russia's withdrawal from the Grain Agreement», – stated Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba during a conversation with the permanent representatives of the group of African countries at the UN.
“By withdrawing from the Grain Agreement, Russia endangered the lives of millions of people around the world, primarily in Africa and Asia. Russia will earn money from increased prices for bread at the expense of primarily citizens of African countries. Our close relations, partnership and active interaction can help solve many problems, in particular, those related to the export of Ukrainian grains to the world market. It is necessary to jointly demand the return of Russia to the Grain Initiative using all possibilities”, – said the Minister.
The minister said that, the food security issue of other countries will always be a priority for Ukraine, taking into account our own tragic past of the Holodomor-genocide of 1932-1933: “We always do our best to help other people in the world avoid hunger”.
The Minister also called on all African countries to work together on the implementation of the Peace Formula proposed by the President of Ukraine.
“Peace must be restored on the basis of the principles of the UN Charter and the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly. Today, the only document that complies with UN principles and resolutions is President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula. We call on you to take an active part in its implementation and bring a just and lasting peace in Ukraine closer”, – he emphasized.
Dmytro Kuleba called the recent visit of African leaders to Ukraine a historic event and thanked them for their efforts on the path to peace. He recalled the words of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a joint press conference with African leaders: “The voice of the African continent must be heard by the world, in particular, when it comes to fundamental security issues”.
Dmytro Kuleba emphasized the symbolism of the meeting, which took place on Nelson Mandela International Day. The head of the MFA reminded that Ukraine, as a founding member of the UN, made a significant contribution to the decolonization of Africa and the fight against apartheid. As an independent state, Ukraine took an active part in peacekeeping operations in Africa: more than 300 Ukrainian blue helmets served in four relevant UN missions.
The Minister emphasized to his African colleagues that only in close cooperation can we overcome any problems, in particular, the Russian attack on global food security.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
