An agreement signed between the belligerents should allow Ukraine to export its wheat reserves. A means of combating the risk of a food crisis.
The spokesperson for the Turkish presidency said on Sunday that there is “a high probabilitythat a ship carrying Ukrainian cereals can leave Monday morning the port of Odessa, Ukraine, according to the terms of an agreement reached on July 22 with Russia. “There is a high probability that a first boat could leave tomorrow morning if everything is settled by this evening“, said Ibrahim Kalin, during an interview with the private channel Kanal 7. The latter, however, specified that there is still “one or two subjects to settle in the negotiations with the Russians“. “Preparations have reached a point that would allow the departure of ships from the port of Odessa. These have been loaded, but good logistical coordination is needed“, he added.
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The resumption of exports was also mentioned in a meeting between the Turkish Minister of Defense and the Ukrainian Ministers of Defense and Infrastructure, announced Ankara on Sunday. “It is planned to start transport as soon as possible“said the Turkish ministry in a press release.
Mitigating the global crisis
The Joint Coordination Center (JCC), responsible for controlling Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in Istanbul in accordance with the agreements signed on July 22. The agreement to lift the blockade – the first significant text involving both sides since the conflict began – aims to ease a global food crisis that has seen prices soar in some of the world’s poorest countries.
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The CCC must register and monitor the merchant ships that will participate in the convoys, ensure their follow-up via the internet and by satellite, have the ships inspected at the time of loading in Ukrainian ports and upon their arrival in Turkish ports.
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