NEW YORK, 29 JULY – Italy welcomed the agreement reached in Istanbul to resume essential exports of wheat from the Ukrainian Black Sea ports. Its full, rapid and effective implementation is of primary importance for the entire international community, said today the Italian Permanent Representative to the UN, Maurizio Massari, in the Security Council.
Massari spoke at a meeting on Ukraine. According to the Ambassador, the Istanbul agreement represents a key mechanism for access to food and to prevent a worsening of the food crisis, especially in the most exposed and vulnerable countries of Africa, the Middle East, and South-East Asia, in order to prevent them from having to deal with further risks of famine.
The Italian Ambassador congratulated the Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, for his personal commitment and leadership, and the special envoys Martin Griffiths, Rebeca Grynspan, and their teams for their work and incessant efforts that have been decisive for the achievement of the agreement. Italy thanked, moreover, Turkey for its engagement in channelling diplomatic efforts, hosting at the same time the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul, which will be in charge of supervising the departures from the three Ukrainian ports, and the implementation of the provisions of the Agreement. Hope is that this will also be a step towards a broader diplomatic commitment.
To avoid further disruptions in food distribution, Massari urged Russia to stop the war without further delay: “Italy – he said – will continue to actively support global food security and the implementation of the Istanbul agreement, also as a host country and among the major partners of the UN agencies based in Rome”. (@OnuItalia)
