Odesa

19 August 2022

Secretary-General's remarks to the Press in Odesa, Ukraine [including Q&A]

António Guterres, Secretary-General

First of all I want to salute Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov.

His wisdom, his competence and his determination were vital for an agreement in the end to be reached involving the UN, Turkey and Ukraine and, on the other hand, UN, Turkey and the Russian Federation

It is very emotional for me to be here in today in Odesa.

I just saw wheat being loaded into a ship again.

It's obviously a reason for joy. But it is also emotional because of the sadness I feel looking into this wonderful harbor and looking into these terminals practically empty with the possibility that this harbor has to develop that Ukraine and the whole region being cut off because of the war.

As I said it is moving to be here in Odesa and it is especially meaningful to be here on World Humanitarian Day.

For months, the port was paralyzed.

Ships like those here were within minutes of sailing fully loaded with grains and other cargo.

A critical transportation line from a global breadbasket was cut.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative is changing that.

In less than a month, 25 ships have departed from Odesa and other Ukrainian ports loaded with grain and other food supplies. With more on their way, as the minister has explained. 

They have carried well over 600,000 tonnes of food products and counting. 

Wheat. Corn. Sunflower oil. Soya beans. 

But each ship is also a vessel of hope. 

Hope for Ukrainian farmers finally rewarded for their harvest – with storage being freed up for more.

Hope for seafarers and the larger shipping community, knowing that it is once again possible to sail through the Black Sea safely and efficiently.

And, most of all, hope for the world’s most vulnerable people and countries.

Here from Odesa on World Humanitarian Day, I want to make a special appeal to the wealthier world for those bearing the brunt of the global food crisis.

As these ports open, I appeal for wealthier countries to also open their wallets and their hearts. 

After all, the movement of grains doesn’t mean much to countries that cannot afford it. 

Lower prices on the global food markets don’t mean much if those prices aren’t reflected in local food markets.

A country cannot feed itself if it is starved for resources. 

It is time for massive and generous support so developing countries can purchase the food from this and other ports – and people can buy it. 

Developing countries need access to financing -- now.

They need debt relief -- now. 
 
They need resources to invest in their people – now.

And all of us must do more to ensure full global access to Ukraine’s food products and Russian food and fertilizers. 

That is not easy – but nothing about this initiative is easy. 

No one ever expected smooth sailing. 

This is an agreement between two parties locked in bitter war.

It is unprecedented in scope and scale. 

But there is still a long way to go on many fronts.

Getting more food and fertilizer out of Ukraine and Russia is crucial to further calm commodity markets and lower prices.

But let’s not forget that what we see here in Odesa is only the more visible part of the solution.

The other part that is also important, that we have been defending, relate to the unimpeded access to the global markets of Russian food and fertilizer, which are not subject to sanctions.

It is important that all governments and the private sector cooperate to bring them to market.

Without fertilizer in 2022, there may not be enough food in 2023.

I am deeply committed to those objectives, but it will only happen if all parties cooperate.

I am here in Odesa to salute the work being done – and to urge that those efforts continue.

Continue to help bring much-needed relief to global food security.

Continue to improve global food supply and stabilize markets.

And continue to improve the welfare of the most vulnerable, especially those trapped in the most fragile humanitarian contexts. 

Let us spare no effort to keep this life-saving effort going and to work for peace. 

Peace in line with the United Nations Charter and international law.

Let us take inspiration from Odesa. 

Today, Odesa is more than just a shipping centre. 

This port is a symbol of what the world can do when we commit to working together for the common good.

The Ukrainian people has been suffering so much. They have witnessed so many deaths, so much destruction that it is legitimate to aspire for peace.

But again, I repeat peace in line with UN Charter, peace in line with international law.

That is the best way to mark World Humanitarian Day and help set the course for a more just and peaceful world for all.

***

Question: [Sky News] Both Ukraine and Russia blame each other for bombing Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. What do you think the truth is? And today there are reports that Russia is planning to divert the electricity from the power plant to the Russian grid. With that in mind, what's your message for Moscow?
 
Secretary-General: Well, first of all, what is true is that if it is demilitarized as we propose, the plant, the problem will be solved. And obviously, the electricity from Zaporizhzhia is Ukrainian electricity, and it's necessary, especially during the winter for the Ukrainian people, and this principle must be fully respected.
 
Question: [Al Jazeera Arabic] I just want to ask if during your meeting yesterday with President Erdoğan and Zelenskyy was there any peace initiative presented by Mr. Erdoğan and maybe it could be Turkish or maybe some messages were delivered by President Erdoğan since he met his counterpart President Putin three weeks ago. Thank you.
 
Secretary-General: President Erdoğan had the opportunity to say in the meeting and in the press conference that he would like to see negotiations restarting. And it reminded the negotiations that took place in Istanbul some months ago.

 Question: [CNN] I have a question. How does the IAEA expect to visit, to inspect the nuclear plant, if there is any, regard to the future? And if […] to expect for the demilitarization. Se puder também responder algo em Português seria muito bom.

 Secretary-General: The International Atomic Energy Agency is an autonomous agency that has a very clear mandate and that has a board. So it is for the IAEA to decide, how and when and how to develop an inspection or visit or the presence in Zaporizhzhia. What we have said is that the UN as in Ukraine, the UN Secretariat, as in Ukraine, the capacity logistic and the security capacity to support the IAEA, if that is required to move from Kyiv to Zaporizhzhia. But decisions in relation to these are decisions from the IAEA, naturally, with the consent of the parties, obviously, with the consent of the Ukrainian government too.   
Secretary-General: In Portuguese, quick. A Agência Internacional de Energia Atómica é uma agência autónoma, que tem um mandato próprio e que responde perante o seu conselho, composto por Estados-Membros. Cabe à agência definir que tipo de inspeções, quando e de que maneira. As Nações Unidas, ao nível do seu Secretariado apenas afirmam, e repito, nós temos na Ucrânia capacidade logística e capacidade de segurança para apoiar uma possível missão da Agência Internacional de Energia Atómica, desde Kyiv até Zaporizhzhia.