UN official hopes for breakthrough on Russian food, fertilizer shipments
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A top U.N. official said Thursday that he hopes for a breakthrough soon after months of efforts to ensure that Russian food and fertilizer can be shipped to developing countries struggling with high prices. A day after Moscow agreed to renew a wartime accord allowing Ukraine to export critical food supplies, U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths told The Associated Press that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently met with insurance titan Lloyds to help iron out coverage for shipments of
U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq declined to confirm whether Guterres had met with Lloyds. The insurer did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
“We are engaged with the private sector at all levels, including that of the secretary-general, to ensure” the agreement to facilitate Russia's food and fertilizer exports is "fully implemented,” Haq said.
“Yesterday we saw great progress,” he said Thursday. “And I hope for tomorrow or the next day, we’ll see it come to a conclusion.”
Griffiths said the talks include work toward consensus on the export of Russian ammonia — a key ingredient in fertilizer — through the Black Sea, part of the deal that has not been executed.
“There’s daily efforts by her and her team and indeed by the secretary-general, who recently, I think, met the head of Lloyds, for example, looking at insurance issues," Griffiths said.
Moving forward, he hopes to see “major advances” in the next couple of months on aiding Russia's shipments "as well as on the specific issues now facing the Black Sea, which I hope — I would like to think — will enable us to have a more dependable future.”
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AP reporter Edith M. Lederer contributed from the United Nations.
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