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Speech
25 November 2022
Statement by Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine
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Press Release
17 November 2022
Statement of the Secretary-General – on the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative
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Speech
15 November 2022
More than 8 months into Russia’s armed attack on Ukraine and the ensuing escalation in hostilities the UN reports widespread abuse, torture of prisoners of war
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Ukraine
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Ukraine:
Speech
15 February 2022
Secretary-General's remarks to the Press Stakeout - on Ukraine
Good afternoon.
I am deeply worried by the heightened tensions and increased speculation about a potential military conflict in Europe.
The price in human suffering, destruction and damage to European and global security is too high to contemplate.
We simply cannot accept even the possibility of such a disastrous confrontation.
I will remain fully engaged in the hours and days to come.
I just spoke this morning with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and of Ukraine.
My message is clear: There is no alternative to diplomacy.
All issues – including the most intractable – can and must be addressed and resolved through diplomatic frameworks. It is my firm belief that this principle will prevail.
The United Nations Country Team remains fully operational in Ukraine.
As United Nations Secretary-General, it is my duty to appeal for the full respect of the United Nations Charter, a fundamental pillar of international law.
The Charter clearly says, and I quote:
“All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.”
“All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”
The time is now to defuse tensions and de-escalate actions on the ground.
There is no place for incendiary rhetoric. Public statements should aim to reduce tensions, not inflame them.
I welcome the recent flurry of diplomatic contacts and engagements, including between Heads of State.
But more needs to be done, and I expect all to intensify their efforts.
I have made my good offices available and we will leave no stone unturned in the search for a peaceful solution.
Abandoning diplomacy for confrontation is not a step over a line, it is a dive over a cliff.
In short, my appeal is this: Do not fail the cause of peace.
Thank you.
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Press Release
11 February 2022
Joint UN mission visits humanitarian-development nexus projects in eastern Ukraine
Osnat Lubrani, United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, joined Dafina Gercheva, UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, and Karolina Lindholm Billing, UNHCR Representative in Ukraine on a visit to eastern Ukraine 9-11 February 2022.
This joint mission focused on humanitarian-development nexus projects, jointly implemented by UNDP and UNHCR. The nexus approach aims to address critical humanitarian and protection needs in a way which is sustainable and simultaneously strengthens local systems and accountabilities, by fostering links and synergies between humanitarian and development actions, in close collaboration with local authorities and local communities. The visited sites constitute strong examples of how this approach can provide sustainable solutions for internally displaced and conflict-affected persons.
The projects were designed in close consultation with the local population, in partnership with the private sector, and local and regional authorities. Budget allocations have been secured from authorities to ensure that the interventions remain sustainable and anchor local ownership.
The projects were made possible by the generous contributions of the European Union. Other important partners include Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
In Popasna, Luhansk Oblast, on 9 February, Lubrani, Gercheva and Lindholm Billing attended the opening ceremony of the renovated ‘Leleka’ rehabilitation center for children with disabilities.
At the opening ceremony, Lubrani said that the center would ease access to persons with disabilities to much needed facilities and services as well as build their skills and their confidence.
“Meeting the children and the dedicated staff and volunteers, it is rewarding to realize how this center is contributing to full inclusion of people with disabilities in society.” Lubrani said.
Also in Popasna, the mission visited the University of the Third Age, which encourages life-long learning, and boarded Mobile Social Services centers. These roaming vehicles provide medical and sanitary services, but also legal advice, socio-psychological assistance and gardening help, to name a few.
On 10 February, Lubrani, Gercheva and Lindholm Billing visited a Multifunctional Creative Space for Youth Development, in Toretsk, Donetsk Oblast. The creative space allows children, primarily from socioeconomically vulnerable families, to develop their creative talents in a safe space.
Moving on to Niu York in Donetsk Oblast, the mission visited the town’s Cultural Hub – a platform for community initiatives, dialogue, and concerts. Local youth proudly explained that after 70 years of being called Novhorodske, the town regained its original name in 2021. The center also serves as space for an impressive exhibition of photo portraits celebrating women leaders and activists in the community.
The next day, the mission continued to the town of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast. There, it visited the Territorial Center for Social Services, which offers psychosocial support, leisure and personal development for older persons who have been greatly impacted by the conflict, including through family separation and trauma.
Also in Avdiivka, children attending the “Renaissance – Music School of the Future” held a moving concert for the visitors. Currently 22 teachers teach music instruments and theory, including Ukrainian music history, to some 180 students.
Afterwards, Lubrani and Lindholm Billing attended the opening of a new traumatology unit at the central hospital of Avdiivka. This improvement will expand access to health care for many Ukrainians on both sides of the contact line.
Lindholm Billing, said that there are still critical humanitarian needs due to the protracted conflict, but highlighted the importance of – wherever possible – addressing these in a way which simultaneously builds the capacity of local communities and authorities to protect the rights and dignity of the population in the future:
“UNHCR, as a humanitarian organization with a protection and solutions mandate, provides different types of support and assistance to help individuals or communities in a particularly vulnerable situation address an immediate need, such as psychosocial support, and strives to work in partnership with development organizations, such as UNDP, to link our programs to their projects aimed at developing local systems and structures. In this way, immediate needs are met, while local systems are developed to address the same or similar needs of other people in the future. The people whose needs our programs are seeking to help, and the local authorities are key actors and partners in this community-based ‘Humanitarian-Development Nexus’ approach.”
At the same time, Gercheva attended the opening of the local court, which had stopped operating after the beginning of the conflict in 2014. New computers and videoconferencing equipment will enable the court to resume hearings right away, thus facilitating access to justice for all Ukrainians.
Gercheva said that all people must have unhindered access to justice – especially those who live in the conflict-affected areas across eastern Ukraine.
“The armed conflict and ongoing pandemic have created additional challenges for justice and rule of law by limiting access to courts, and hindering the movement of people who try to cross the ‘contact line’ seeking protection,” she said. “Despite the many obstacles and formidable challenges, UNDP and its partners will continue to make every effort to enhance the capacity of Ukraine's judiciary.”
During the visit, the UN delegation also met with the heads of Donetsk and Luhansk oblast administrations, to discuss the ongoing partnership and to explore areas for strengthened future collaboration.
The visit also provided an opportunity for Lubrani, Gercheva and Lindholm Billing to host townhall meetings to engage with UN staff, field questions and express strong appreciation for the work of all UN personnel serving in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
The joint mission was a testament to the UN’s continued engagement for all Ukrainians, with focus on those most vulnerable. It highlighted the potential for further operationalization of the humanitarian-development nexus approach and underscored the UN’s commitment to helping Ukraine achieve the sustainable development goals and ensuring that nobody is left behind.
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Publication
17 February 2022
2022 Humanitarian Needs And Response Overview: Ukraine
After seven years, the protracted humanitarian crisis has faded from global headlines causing mistaken perceptions that it is “frozen”. The ceasefire brokered in July 2020 has become increasingly fragile, resulting in the number of civilian casualties returning to pre-ceasefire levels. Civilian infrastructure is frequently coming under fire, and widespread contamination by explosive ordnance and mines remains a serious concern. With no political solution to the conflict in sight, it is likely that the humanitarian needs will continue with an increase in severity in 2022, particularly in NGCA.
The socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in eastern Ukraine has become more pronounced due to the prolonged closure of the “contact line”, restrictions on movement, and decreasing livelihood opportunities. Residents of NGCA, particularly the elderly, have been most impacted by restrictions on movement across the “contact line”, cutting them off from basic services and social entitlements, including pensions.
With the winter fast approaching and the COVID-19 epidemiological situation worsening, especially in NGCA, the operational environment has become increasingly complicated. The humanitarian crisis continues to be at risk of being politicized, and access constraints remain a serious challenge to humanitarian operations in certain areas of eastern Ukraine.
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Story
05 October 2022
UNOPS Delivers Generators to Kharkiv Hospitals under UHF-Funded Project
Two medical facilities in Kharkiv – the Emergency Aid and Disaster Medicine Center along with the #17 Municipal Clinical Multiprofile Hospital – received diesel electric generators this summer under a project funded by the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF) and implemented by UNOPS. UNOCHA and UNOPS representatives visited the recipients to talk about how these items will help them in the coming months.
The Emergency Aid and Disaster Medicine Center in Kharkiv is the region’s central structure supporting the operation of ambulance teams. Around 200 ambulances cover the entire region, responding to calls from citizens. Viktor Zabashta, the Center’s director, noted: “We have received three generators. One of them has been stationed at the Center’s administrative premises, while the others have been allocated to our ambulance stations. Uninterrupted electricity supply is key to our work: we need a power source to support our dispatch services, Telecard system for gathering cardiographic data and GPS tracking for calls and vehicles movement, communication between the central office and the ambulance teams. Much of the equipment in use is electrical and needs to be recharged regularly, which is what the generators at ambulance stations allow to do.”
With these generators, the Center will be able to continue operation regardless of power cuts, responding to emergencies and making sure patients receive the care they need. On average, the Center processes 30,000 calls per month.
The #17 Hospital in Kharkiv is a multiprofile healthcare facility with a strong surgical department, providing various types of healthcare services to residents of the city. Since 2020, it has also been one of the central locations for COVID-19 treatment in the city. The hospital’s Deputy Medical Director Oleksandr Zlyvka stated:
“The generator we received supports the 9-story building housing the diagnostic department and the therapeutic department with 240 hospital beds which, upon need, can be used as facilities for COVID-19 patients. It is also worth noting it will ensure that elevators stay operational in the event of a blackout. It is critical that reliable electricity supply to our facilities is ensured, so that equipment stays operational, and treatment can continue as planned.”
The project “Ensuring energy stability of hospitals in Ukraine” supported by the UHF will provide a total of 141 generators to hospitals across the country selected by the Ministry of Health. The Kharkiv region has already received five generators and nine more are on their way. The equipment will enhance the hospitals’ resilience and allow them to provide life-saving health services amidst the hostilities, regardless of whether they are connected to the national electrical grid.
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Story
30 September 2022
The Secretary-General - remarks to press on Russian decision on annexation of Ukrainian territory
The Kremlin has announced that a ceremony will take place tomorrow in Moscow that will launch a process of annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
In this moment of peril, I must underscore my duty as Secretary-General to uphold the Charter of the United Nations.
The UN Charter is clear.
Any annexation of a State’s territory by another State resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the Principles of the UN Charter and international law.
The United Nations General Assembly is equally clear.
In its landmark Friendly Relations Declaration of 24 October 1970 —repeatedly cited as stating rules of general international law by the International Court of Justice — the General Assembly declared that “the territory of a State shall not be the object of acquisition by another State resulting from the threat or use of force” and that “no territorial acquisition resulting from the threat or use of force shall be recognized as legal”.
And I must be clear.
The Russian Federation, as one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, shares a particular responsibility to respect the Charter.
Any decision to proceed with the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine would have no legal value and deserves to be condemned.
It cannot be reconciled with the international legal framework.
It stands against everything the international community is meant to stand for.
It flouts the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations.
It is a dangerous escalation.
It has no place in the modern world.
It must not be accepted.
The position of the United Nations is unequivocal: we are fully committed to the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders, in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions.
I want to underscore that the so-called “referenda” in the occupied regions were conducted during active armed conflict, in areas under Russian occupation, and outside Ukraine’s legal and constitutional framework.
They cannot be called a genuine expression of the popular will.
Any decision by Russia to go forward will further jeopardize the prospects for peace.
It will prolong the dramatic impacts on the global economy, especially developing countries and hinder our ability to deliver life-saving aid across Ukraine and beyond.
It is high time to step back from the brink.
Now more than ever, we must work together to end this devastating and senseless war and uphold the UN Charter and international law.
Thank you.
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Story
27 September 2022
UN and humanitarian partners step up efforts to assist over 150,000 people impacted by recent hostilities in Kharkivska oblast
The humanitarian community has, over the last 10 days, dispatched the first part of a series of convoys with urgent relief supplies to areas of Kharkivska oblast that only recently became accessible to aid organizations.
“I visited some of these areas last week, including Balakliia, and I saw for myself the destruction and trauma caused by the war. In some areas, we have seen houses, health centres and schools damaged or destroyed. Authorities are working to repair the damages to the gas and energy systems, but thousands are still without supply. Making sure people are supported and have a warm and safe place to stay now that the cold season is upon us is a matter of life or death for thousands,” said the Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown.
More than 73,000 people – nearly half of the population living in these areas – have already received food, and 12,000 hygiene kits have been distributed along with household items, including kitchen sets, solar lamps, and blankets to 15,000 people. Medicines, surgical and emergency health kits, enough to treat 10,000 people over the coming weeks, have been distributed to health centres across the areas. Deliveries of essential items will continue.
The humanitarian community is working closely with national and local authorities, as well as volunteer groups, to deliver aid and help people who have endured the horrors of seven months of war. “The humanitarian deliveries are essential for immediate needs; treating the trauma and the fear will be much harder and take longer,” noted Denise Brown.
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Story
25 August 2022
THE KILLING OF CHILDREN IS SHOCKING: DENISE BROWN, HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR UKRAINE, ON THE STRIKE IN CHAPLYNE
Children were killed in this attack and they died in places where they expected to be safe, in their homes or travelling with their families. Yes, they should have been safe and they were not.
On behalf of the United Nations and the humanitarian community in Ukraine, I send our most heartfelt condolences to those who lost their loved ones, and I wish a speedy recovery to the people injured.
The human toll of the attack in Chaplyne is just one more example of the level of suffering that this war is causing the people of Ukraine. Yesterday, several other attacks across the country also killed civilians. Recent days have also seen intense shelling of frontline cities, including Nikopol and Zelenodolsk, in Dnipropetrovska oblast, where hostilities have left a path of destruction, with dozens of houses damaged, as well as schools, shops and pharmacies.
In the six months since Russia’s invasion, Ukrainians have continued to see their loved ones killed, injured and traumatized, their families separated, and their homes, schools and hospitals attacked. Yet, in times of war, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.
All actors, without exception, must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and take constant care to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure so that they are protected, their houses preserved, and essential services remain.
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Story
24 August 2022
Comment by Matilda Bogner, Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine on six months into Russia’s armed attack on Ukraine
The resulting escalation of the 8-year long armed conflict has brought more death, suffering, damage and destruction. Every day, we speak with people affected by the war, and hear about and document violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, including war crimes.
From 24 February 2022 to 23 August 2022, our Mission recorded 13,560 civilian casualties in the country: 5,614 civilians were killed, including 362 children, and 7,946 were injured, including 610 children. 92 percent of these casualties were caused by the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas.
We know that the actual figures are considerably higher. Each of these figures is a human being, whose life or health has been lost or damaged.
Civilians also suffer from arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance. We have documented 327 cases (279 men, 47 women, 1 boy) in territory controlled by Russian armed forces and affiliated armed groups since 24 February: 105 victims (86 men and 18 women, and a boy) were released, and 14 were found dead (13 men and 1 woman). We also documented 39 arbitrary arrests (35 men and 4 women) by law enforcement bodies of Ukraine, where procedural and judicial guarantees of the right to liberty have been violated and 28 other cases (24 men and 4 women) that may amount to enforced disappearance.
Many of these victims, on both sides, have faced torture. Human beings, whoever they are, must be treated with dignity.
Prisoners of war and those hors de combat have also been tortured and ill-treated. Protections guaranteed to them by international law must be respected. While we have access to prisoners of war and other conflict-related detainees in Government-controlled areas, this is not the case for prisoners of war or conflict-related detainees held in other areas. We call on the Russian Federation to grant independent monitors full access to all individuals detained in relation to the armed conflict by the Russian Federation, including those held by Russian-affiliated armed groups.
The escalation has also further impacted the more vulnerable groups in society. We meet older persons, persons with disabilities, whose houses have been damaged or destroyed, who cannot afford to rent housing in safe areas, or repair the roofs, walls and windows with their small pensions. They have to choose between buying essential medicines and hard fuels to store for the upcoming winter. It will be a difficult winter, but policies that take into account the most vulnerable can help to alleviate the worst impacts.
We reiterate our calls to the sides to take constant care to spare and protect civilians while hostilities are ongoing.
We will continue to document the facts on the ground, an essential part of seeking to prevent further violations and to hold those accountable for the violations already committed. We are also ready to provide human rights expertise in developing policies to respond to the current challenges.
Our most recent findings on the impact of the armed attack by the Russian Federation on human rights in Ukraine will be provided in our next report in September.
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Press Release
17 November 2022
Statement of the Secretary-General – on the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative
The United Nations is fully committed to supporting the Joint Coordination Centre so that this vital supply line continues to function smoothly. The United Nations is also fully committed to removing the remaining obstacles to exporting food and fertilizers from the Russian Federation. Both agreements signed in Istanbul three months ago are essential to bring down the prices of food and fertilizer and avoid a global food crisis.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative continues to demonstrate the importance of discreet diplomacy in the context of finding multilateral solutions.
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Press Release
14 November 2022
UKRAINE: HUMANITARIANS BRING WATER, FOOD, MEDICINES AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN KHERSON
“The people of Kherson are struggling to meet their basic needs, only adding to the trauma of having endured months of constant bombardments, being forced to flee their homes, and seeing their loved ones being killed or injured,” Ms Brown said. “The people need urgent support, and we must act quickly to help them.”
The city faces a shortage of water and electricity, while markets are running low on food and health facilities lack medicines.
Today’s humanitarian convoy brought food, water, hygiene kits, shelter materials and critical household items, including bedding, thermal blankets and solar lamps, to more than 6,000 people in Kherson. A health centre in the city will also receive medicines to treat more than 1,000 patients over the next month.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) took part in today’s convoy.
The humanitarian community will continue to mobilize resources and supplies over the coming days to expand their operations and bring more aid to people in all areas of the Kherson region, which are now back under Ukrainian control. In recent weeks, life-saving items have already been delivered to more than 12,000 people in other towns and villages retaken by Ukraine in the Kherson region, including Novovorontsovka, Novooleksandrivka, Velyka Oleksandrivka and Vysokopillia.
So far this year in the Kherson region, humanitarian organizations have reached 100,000 people, most of them with cash assistance.
“With the support of our partners, particularly the local organizations, I am confident that we will be able to do much more in the days and weeks ahead,” Ms. Brown said. “We must stand with the people of Kherson in their hour of need.”
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Press Release
04 November 2022
Ukraine: FAO reinforces its presence to optimize technical and humanitarian assistance
Rome – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has reinforced its presence in Ukraine by signing an agreement with the Government to set up a Project Office that will facilitate and expand the provision of technical and humanitarian assistance to the country’s most vulnerable communities, especially in rural areas.
Ukraine joined FAO in 2003 and since 2015 the Organization has been operating in two strategic directions: emergency humanitarian response in conflict-affected oblasts and agricultural development across the whole country.
“Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, FAO has scaled up its activities in the country to support agricultural production and food systems with the aim of protecting the food security of vulnerable households and communities across Ukraine,” said Laurent Thomas, FAO Deputy Director-General and signatory to the agreement on behalf of FAO. “This agreement will extend our cooperation in the country, increase Ukraine’s agricultural capacity and protect the food security of the most vulnerable Ukrainians, leaving no one behind.”
“On behalf of the Ukrainian people and our producers, I would like to thank FAO for the support that has been provided since the beginning of the large-scale invasion by Russia. The production and export capacities of the Ukrainian agricultural sector are being restored and the lives of the people to whom FAO provides assistance are also improving. I am convinced that, with the opening of the Project Office, the cooperation between FAO and Ukraine, which has been going on for many years, will gain new dynamics,” said Yulia Svyrydenko, First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister for Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, and signatory to the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ukraine.
Disrupted supply chains and rising prices
The impacts of the war in Ukraine have severely disrupted the country’s agricultural production and food exports, jeopardizing both local and global food security.
FAO’s Humanitarian Response Update points to the growing evidence that food supply chain disruptions and increasing prices in conjunction with reduced incomes have significantly affected access to and the affordability of food resulting in growing dependence on food assistance. The prices of basic goods, including food, have increased significantly across the country, particularly in areas that have witnessed active fighting. More than half of the rural households surveyed by FAO reported that, over the past three months, food has accounted for over half of their total household expenditure.
Major difficulties expected in the coming months in relation to agricultural production include low returns from the sale of products, access to fertilizers and pesticides, access to fuel and electricity with which to power agricultural and farm equipment, and access to animal health products such as veterinary drugs, animal feed and feed additives. Storage for harvested produce is also in critically short supply.
FAO’s ongoing support to Ukraine
“FAO is actively supporting smallholders and rural families who play a vital role in local food value chains,” noted Raimund Jehle, FAO Regional Programme Leader. “Smallholder farmers are currently being supported with winter wheat seeds to enable them to sustain production levels for the 2023 harvesting season, as well as grain sleeves with which to ensure that harvests from this season are suitably stored and protected. FAO is also supporting rural households with animal feed, multipurpose cash assistance and vouchers with which to purchase other essential agricultural inputs and tools”.
FAO's revised Rapid Response Plan (RRP) requires USD 115.4 million to assist almost one million people in rural Ukraine up to the end of 2022. FAO’s response includes providing crop and livestock inputs along with cash to support the most affected smallholder farmers and livestock holders to meet seasonal deadlines. This support will enable households to produce vegetables, cereal crops, milk, meat and eggs to feed their families.
To address the grain storage crisis, FAO has developed a Grain Storage Support Strategy (GSSS) requiring an additional $65 million. This extension to the RRP aims to deliver more than 4 million tonnes – or 25 percent of the estimated overall need – of grain storage capacity in Ukraine. The Strategy also includes the support of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection by strengthening government capacity for food commodity testing and certifications necessary for export at border facilities.
To date, FAO has raised almost $80 million against the combined total requirement of around $180 million under the RRP and GSSS. Additional resources are urgently needed to support vulnerable rural households, particularly in preparation for the approaching winter season.
More on this topic
FAO response to the Ukraine crisis
FAO country profile of Ukraine
FAO emergencies and resilience
Ukraine: Humanitarian response update
Information Note - The importance of Ukraine and the Russian Federation for global agricultural markets and the risks associated with the war in Ukraine
Impact of the Ukraine-Russia conflict on global food security and related matters under the mandate of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Contact
Viktoriia Mykhalchuk
FAO Ukraine Communication Coordinator
(+38) 098 605 5061 Viktoriia.Mykhalchuk@fao.org Journalists & editors:
For video, photos, audio clips contact: (+39) 06 570 53625 or FAO-newsroom@fao.org.
(+38) 098 605 5061 Viktoriia.Mykhalchuk@fao.org Journalists & editors:
For video, photos, audio clips contact: (+39) 06 570 53625 or FAO-newsroom@fao.org.
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Press Release
04 November 2022
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL -- REMARKS AT PRESS STAKEOUT
I come today bearing a measure of good news – hopeful news in a world churning in turmoil.
It has been said that one might not always appreciate something until it is at risk or gone altogether.
Over the past few days, I believe the world has come to understand and appreciate the importance of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
For stemming the food crisis. For easing prices and pressures on people around the world. For reducing the risks of hunger, poverty and instability.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative is making a difference.
I am pleased to announce that, today, the Initiative has hit a new milestone.
As of today, ten million metric tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs have been shipped through the Black Sea corridor.
It has taken just three months to reach this milestone.
Despite all the obstacles we have seen, the beacon of hope in the Black Sea is still shining. The initiative is working.
It is our collective responsibility to keep it working smoothly.
I thank President [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan and the Government of Türkiye for their crucial contribution for that to happen.
Now that the initiative has fully resumed, I appeal to all parties to concentrate efforts in two areas.
First, to renewal and full implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Second, to removing the remaining obstacles to the exports of Russian food and fertilizer.
I am fully committed – along with the entire United Nations system – to the achievement of both these essential objectives.
The world needs safe and unimpeded navigation for exports of grain, foodstuffs and fertilizer from Ukraine through the Black Sea.
And the world needs concerted efforts to urgently address the global fertilizer market crunch and make full use of Russian export capacity essential for that purpose.
High fertilizer prices are already affecting farmers around the world.
We cannot allow global fertilizer accessibility problems to morph into a global food shortage.
As we have been reminded in the last few days, all of this is crucial for people everywhere.
We have also some encouraging news from Ethiopia.
Two weeks ago, I stood before you and raised the alarm about the spiraling conflict.
Today, I am pleased to commend the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the Tigrayan People’s
Liberation Front for yesterday’s signing of a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities.
I salute the African Union’s High-Level Panel - President [Olusegun] Obasanjo, President [Uhuru] Kenyatta, and our former colleague Phumzile [Mlambo-Ngcuka] - for their work in facilitating this agreement.
It is a critical first step that paves the way for the unimpeded delivery of lifesaving humanitarian aid and the resumption of public services.
The human cost of this conflict has been devastating.
I urge all Ethiopians to seize this opportunity for peace and I pledge the full support of the United Nations.
From the Black Sea Initiative and the Ethiopian agreement, we can see that they are demonstrations of the power of multilateralism in action and the value of discrete – but determined – diplomacy.
We must never give up in the cause of peace and advancing the values of the United Nations.
That is the spirit that every country must bring to the UN Climate Conference, COP27, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
COP27 must be the place to rebuild trust and re-establish the ambition needed to avoid driving our planet over the climate cliff.
In the last few weeks, report after report has painted a clear and bleak picture.
Emissions are still growing at record levels.
Instead of going down 45 per cent by 2030 as scientists tell us must happen -- greenhouse gas emissions are now on course to rise by 10 per cent.
Meanwhile, temperatures are on course to rise by as much as 2.8 degrees, with the present policies in place, by the end of the century.
And that means our planet is on course for reaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible and forever bake in catastrophic temperature rise.
We need to move from tipping points to turning points for hope.
That means urgently increasing ambition and trust – especially between North and South.
Specifically, it is time for an historic pact between developed and emerging economies.
A pact in which developed countries deliver on the commitment made in Paris and make an additional effort to reduce emissions in line with the 1.5-degree goal.
And a pact in which wealthier countries provide financial and technical assistance – along with support from Multilateral Development Banks and technology companies – to help emerging economies speed their renewable energy transition, as it is also necessary for us all.
COP27 must be the place to close the ambition gap, the credibility gap and the solidarity gap.
It must put us back on track to cutting emissions, boosting climate resilience and adaptation, keeping the promise on climate finance and addressing loss and damage from climate change.
Getting concrete results on loss and damage is the litmus test of the commitment of governments to help close all these gaps.
I travelled to Pakistan and witnessed one-third of the country under water – with lost lives, lost crops, lost hope.
There is no way anyone can argue there is no loss and no damage.
The world must come together to support developing countries and vulnerable communities.
At COP27, I look forward to launching an initiative to ensure every person on earth is protected by an early warning system within five years.
In short, COP27 must lay the foundations for much faster, bolder climate action now and in this crucial decade, when the global climate fight will be won or lost.
We need all nations and all people on board in these make-or-break next years, starting at COP27.
Thank you.
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Press Release
02 November 2022
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on the Black Sea Grain Initiative
The Secretary-General continues his engagement with all actors towards the renewal and full implementation of the Initiative, and he also remains committed to removing the remaining obstacles to the exports of Russian food and fertilizer.
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