Australia-England Urges Russia To Return To The Food Export Agreement

JAKARTA - Australia and Britain are joining several other countries urging Russia to return to the Black Sea seed deal.

"Russian decision to stop Prakarsa of Black Sea Grains will harm those most in need," Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

According to him, the seed agreement is important to ensure predictable food supplies, including for countries in Indo-Pacific and Africa.

"We ask Russia to return to the negotiating table. Australia remains committed to working with partners to build their long-term food security," Wong wrote via Twitter.

Meanwhile, Britain strongly condemned Russia's decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Prakarsa.

British Foreign Minister James Cleanly said the war had hindered free delivery of grains and other foodstuffs through the Black Sea, causing worldwide suffering.

"We urge Russia to rejoin the initiative, which was developed by the United Nations in 2022, and allow unrestricted exports of grains. From the start, this initiative has played an important role in reducing and stabilizing world food prices, sending more than 32 million tons of food products to the world market," said Cleanly.

The deal was signed by Russia, Ukraine, the United Nations, and Turkey last year with the aim of resuming seed exports from three Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea.

The export of grains from Ukrainian ports had stalled since Russia launched its war in Ukraine in February 2022.

Under the agreement, the Joint Coordination Center was founded in Istanbul last year with officials from three countries and the United Nations to oversee food shipments.

The deal has been updated several times since, and was last extended for two months on May 18, 2023.

Russia has blocked operations from the deal for several months. By doing so, Russia serves its own interests and ignores the needs of everyone around the world, including in the poorest countries, which as a result have to pay higher food prices, "Coverly said.