The agreement allowing Ukrainian grain exports from Ukrainian ports has been extended for the four winter months, lifting concerns about a possible global food crisis for the time being, the main signatories to the agreement said on Thursday 17 November.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative was due to expire at midnight on Friday 18 November. The four parties involved in the agreement - Turkey, Ukraine, Russia and the UN - confirmed the continuation of these arrangements “without any change” to the terms.
The agreement has been extended by 120 days from 19 November, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced. He stressed the “importance and benefit” of this agreement “for global food supply and security, with nearly 500 ships and over 11 million tonnes of grain and food products” delivered since the summer.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recalled that Kyiv had offered to “extend the Black Sea Initiative indefinitely”. UN Secretary-General António Guterres “welcomed” the news of the extension. Of the 11 million tonnes exported to date, about 40% has been to developing countries. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)