<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares held a telephone conversation on Monday with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, with whom he discussed, among other issues, the Grain from Ukraine initiative to guarantee global food security, with special attention to Syria.</strong></h4> “I have spoken with my Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha,” Albares said on social media. “I reiterated Spain’s support for the freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he continued. “Also for the Grain from Ukraine initiative for global food security,” he added. “Productive call with my Spanish colleague and friend, José Manuel Albares,” the Ukrainian minister wrote on social media. “We coordinated steps to strengthen Ukraine’s air shield and discussed the path to a just peace. I informed about Ukraine’s efforts to aid Syria’s food security. We are grateful for Spain’s unwavering support,” he said. Sybiha replaced Dmytro Kuleba in early September as part of the largest reshuffle of the Ukrainian government since the Russian invasion in February 2022. His first telephone conversation with Albares took place on the day of her appointment. The Grain from Ukraine programme was launched by President Volodymyr Zelensky in November 2022 to supply grain to the poorest countries in Africa. Donations to this initiative total around 220 million dollars from more than 30 countries and international organisations. On 24 November, Albares announced a new Spanish contribution of 1.5 million euros to Grain from Ukraine “which will be channelled through the World Food Programme”, as part of Spain’s “long-term commitment to support Ukraine and combat global food insecurity”. Before the Russian invasion, Ukraine was one of the main suppliers of grain to the World Food Programme and the fourth largest grain exporter in the world. The country also provided more than 15% of global corn exports, 10% of wheat, 15-20% of barley and more than 50% of sunflower oil. The blockade of Ukrainian ports by the Black Sea Fleet in the first weeks of the invasion disrupted grain exports, rapidly driving up global food prices and fuelling food crises, greatly increasing the risk of famine in poorer countries. David Beasley, executive director of the UN World Food Programme, has estimated that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has pushed some 70 million people to the brink of starvation worldwide. The aim of the Grain from Ukraine programme is to prevent famine and provide food to no fewer than five million people in the poorest countries in Africa and Asia, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Kenya and Nigeria. Grain from Ukraine is expected to be expanded and support provided to more countries, including Mozambique, Malawi, Madagascar, Djibouti, Liberia, Mauritania and Lebanon, among others.
