Food security – Extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (17 November 2022)

Today’s announcement by the UN Secretary-General of the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative for 120 days is a positive step that will be welcomed by the international community.

Continuing this initiative is crucial to combating global food insecurity, which has been aggravated by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

France and its partners will continue to step up their efforts to reduce the risks of food insecurity for the most vulnerable populations worldwide; one way they will do this is by means of the EU’s Solidarity Lanes, which have already made it possible to export more than 15 million tons of Ukrainian foodstuffs since the spring. France is contributing financially to the shipment and distribution of 50,000 tons of wheat donated by Ukraine to Somalia through an operation organized by the World Food Programme (WFP). On November 11, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs also met with partners from the Save Crops Operation launched on September 23 by President Macron on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. On that occasion, she announced France’s financial support for upcoming WFP operations to deliver Russian fertilizer currently located in Europe to Africa.