Italian Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio said this Saturday that the “world grain war” began with a grain blockade in Ukraine and, as a result, “the risk of new conflicts in Africa.”
“The world grain war is already underway, and we must stop it. We risk political instability in Africa, the spread of terrorist organizations, coup d’état in order to live,” he said.
Ukraine, a country at war since February 24, when it was under military attack by Russia, is one of the world’s largest producers of grains and agricultural fertilizers, which it exported all over the planet, these products are essential for food security in such regions, like the Middle East and North Africa.
The blockade of Ukrainian products due to the war makes it difficult or even prevents vulnerable countries from accessing grain.
The Italian minister said that it was necessary “to conclude a peace agreement concerning grain as soon as possible.”
“Russian warships blocked 300 million tons of grain in Ukrainian ports,” said Luigi di Maio.
“We are working to get Russia to unblock wheat exports from Ukrainian ports because at the moment we are at risk of more wars breaking out in Africa,” he added.
The head of Italian diplomacy recalled that on the 8th of this month there will be a “first dialogue session” with the countries of the Mediterranean on food security, and that Italy will work with countries such as Germany, Turkey, France and “many others”. “To achieve the goal of unlocking the wheat that is in Ukraine.
Italy proposed a few days ago to clear Ukrainian ports of mines and create “marine corridors” for the transport of wheat.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin to ask him to unblock grain exports from Ukraine, including from Russian-occupied Azov Sea ports such as Mariupol.
Putin replied that there would be grain exports if the West lifted the sanctions imposed on Russia for the attack on Ukraine.
The UN Food and Agriculture Agency (FAO) has already warned about the consequences of this war for food security around the world, since both Russia and Ukraine are the largest grain producers on the planet.
Italy, in collaboration with FAO, headquartered in Rome, is organizing a ministerial meeting of the countries of the Mediterranean on June 8 to diagnose the situation and try to determine the response to the consequences of the war in Ukraine. y in terms of food, especially in the Mediterranean and Africa.
