UN chief thanks Türkiye for leadership as 1st grain-laden ship leaves Ukraine

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres thanked Türkiye on Monday for its efforts and leadership as a nascent deal to resume grain exports from Ukraine saw its first ship depart from the port of Odesa.

The departure of the Sierra Leone-flagged dry cargo ship Razoni marked an "important starting point" for the agreement, Guterres said. "It must be the first of many commercial ships bringing relief and stability to global food markets," he added.

"Today's departure is an enormous collective achievement by the Joint Coordination Center, set up last week in Istanbul under United Nations auspices, with representatives from Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and Türkiye," the UN chief told reporters.

"Ensuring that grain, fertilizers, and other food-related items are available at reasonable prices to developing countries is a humanitarian imperative. People on the verge of famine need these agreements to work in order to survive," he said.

NORWAY HAILS SHIPMENT AS 'IMPORTANT FIRST STEP'

"Today's shipment of grain from Odesa is an important first step in reducing global food insecurity. Ukraine is a reliable partner," the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.

The Scandinavian country thanked the UN and Türkiye for their important role in facilitating the transport.

Sweden also welcomed the first export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

It will "help reducing global food insecurity. Continued implementation of the agreement is crucial," Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Twitter.

France and Italy also applauded the first export of Ukrainian grain since start of the Russian war in February.

It is an important step forward in the implementation of the agreement reached under the auspices of the UN, the French Foreign Ministry said.

The deal must continue to be implemented in the long term, it further said, commending the efforts of the UN and Türkiye in this regard.

France also called on the parties to continue secure exports of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea to reduce global food insecurity aggravated by the Russian war in Ukraine.

"In this regard, France condemns Russia's ongoing indiscriminate airstrikes, including those against the port of Odesa, which jeopardize the implementation of this agreement," it added.

Italy welcomed the departure of the first shipment of grain from the port of Odesa.

"It is necessary to ensure that exports continue in line with existing commitments, in order to ease the global food crisis," the Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.

'THIS IS HOPE'

"A ship carrying Ukrainian grain has officially left this Black Sea port in Odesa for the first time since end-February. This is progress. This is HOPE. Let's keep it going!" David Beasley, the head of the UN World Food Program, said on Twitter.

The Razoni is due to arrive in Istanbul on Tuesday for an inspection under the historic agreement to facilitate grain and foodstuff exports. The vessel is bound for the Lebanese port of Tripoli in the country's north.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed a deal on July 22 to reopen three Ukrainian ports-Odesa, Chernomorsk, and Yuzhny-for grain that has been stuck for months because of Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, which is now in its sixth month.

To oversee Ukrainian grain exports, a joint coordination center in Istanbul officially opened on Wednesday, comprising representatives from Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine to enable the safe transportation, by merchant ships, of commercial foodstuffs and fertilizers from the three key Ukrainian Black Sea ports.