War in Ukraine: at the UN, Blinken urges not to turn “hunger into a weapon of war”

US Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken on Thursday before the UN Security Council accused Russia of “blackmailing” the Black Sea grain deal, which it withdrew from in July, and of “attacking” the global food system. “Hunger cannot be turned into a weapon of war,” said Anthony Blinken.

“Every member of this Council, every member of the United Nations must tell Moscow enough is enough. It is enough to use the Black Sea Grain Agreement for blackmail. It is enough to treat the most vulnerable people on the planet like a trump card. Enough of this unjustified and unacceptable war” against Ukraine,” the Secretary of State scored.

On Tuesday, the United States took over the monthly chairmanship of the Security Council and made combating food insecurity, particularly conflict-related, a priority. That is the theme of this meeting at United Nations Headquarters in New York, chaired by Anthony Blinken. Washington intends to adopt a “joint declaration condemning the use of food as a weapon of war,” which 91 countries have already signed. said Anthony Blinken on ABC Television.

Despite U.S. diplomats reassuring that their minister is not looking to meet Russia “face to face” at the United Nations, Moscow is clearly aiming for an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and a recent withdrawal from the agreement. director. “In the end, we must find a way out of Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine and subsequent aggression against the world food system,” the head of the company warned American diplomacy.

“Prices for cereals have started to rise again, by more than 17%”

In mid-July, Russia refused to renew this agreement, which allowed the export of Ukrainian grains across the Black Sea, which led to a rise in grain prices, which especially affected the poorest countries.

Signed in July 2022 with Russia and Ukraine under the auspices of Turkey, a contributing country, and the United Nations, the Black Sea Grain Initiative aims to reduce the risk of world famine by guaranteeing, despite the war, the placement on the market of Ukrainian agricultural products. “Since Russia withdrew from the agreement, grain prices have risen again by more than 17%,” the US official said.

And on Wednesday, Russian drone attacks at dawn caused significant damage to Ukrainian port facilities on the Danube, an infrastructure that has become critical for grain exports.

Anthony Blinken also announced $362 million in new funding for programs to combat food insecurity and malnutrition in ten African countries and Haiti. Among the many causes of world hunger, in addition to armed conflict, are the effects of climate change.