‘Beacon of hope’: A look inside the Russia-Ukraine grain deal
22 Jul, 2022 19:43 / Updated 2 years ago
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Istanbul, Turkey, July 22, 2022.
Mustafa Kamaci / Getty Images
An agreement on shipments from Black Sea ports has been signed by Moscow and Kiev in Turkey
Russian and Ukrainian officials on Friday individually signed a UN and Turkey-brokered deal for the resumption of grain shipments from Black Sea ports to world markets. The agreement, which has been described in a tweet by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as “a beacon of hope, possibility & relief,” consists of two documents.
The memorandum, which is valid for three years, addresses the issue of sanctions on Russian agricultural products and fertilizers. The second document, which is valid for 120 days with the possibility of extension, defines the mechanism for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products from ports controlled by Ukraine.
According to Guterres, the deal “will help avoid a food shortage catastrophe for millions worldwide.” Here, we take a look at some key provisions in the much-anticipated agreement.