However, all this was suddenly hampered by the decision of the Kremlin to wage an unprovoked and unjustified war against my country on February 24, 2022.
The brutal military invasion of the Russian army forever changed the lives of millions of Ukrainians, who have witnessed the destruction of their cities, the killing of their sons and the raping of their daughters. This horror is ongoing as Russia intensifies its attacks on civil and energy infrastructure.
The war is not limited to Ukraine. It is fought on multiple fronts and, apart from military, has economic and moral dimensions. Its consequences are felt globally and the aggressor amplifies shockwaves by weaponising migration, energy and food. Tactics of terror and genocide are used by Russia to intimidate not only Ukrainians, but also other nations across the world.
The Russian army will undoubtedly fail to reach its intended goals.
Ukrainians will never bow their heads and surrender their dignity and identity. We will fight with all the power of the free nation that we have since it is not only about our survival, the future of the world is also at stake.
The storm of war is raging and the people of Africa can feel its deadly breath. Prices of food jumped up drastically, and millions of Africans are on the verge of starvation.
Ukraine is currently one of the world’s largest grain suppliers. Shipments from Ukraine comprised around 22 per cent of the overall Kenyan wheat import last year, making my country an important contributor to food security in Kenya.
The blockade of Ukrainian ports enforced by the Russian navy lasted for five months and curbed our ability to export food. It’s only due to the persistent efforts of UN secretary general Antonio Guterres and the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that the Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports was reached in Istanbul on July 22.
It allowed for the creation of a safe ‘grain corridor’ for the export of Ukrainian grain to the countries that need it the most.
Despite Russian attacks on the port of Odesa on July 23 — the very next day after the signing of the Initiative — and on September 23, as well as recent attacks on energy facilities, which seriously damaged port infrastructure, Ukraine remains faithful to its obligations.
Since the first ship left the port of Odesa on August 1, we have managed to export 9.1 million tonnes of food, of which more than 5 million tonnes were sent to countries in Africa and Asia. Under the UN World Food Programme, 190,000 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat were exported to countries in dire need.
On October 12 the first bulk cargo ship with 51,400 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat on board reached Mombasa.
Implementation of the Black Sea grain initiative is a humanitarian issue, but Russia, from its very inception, tried to derail the fragile consensus and torpedo the grain corridor.
Although the agreement was supposed to expire at the end of November and parties were working on its extension, on October 29 the Ministry of Defence of Russia announced its unilateral exit from the initiative.
Countries in Africa and Asia might face the worst consequences of this decision. On October 30 a ship with 40,000 tonnes of grain contracted by the UN World Food Programme and intended for Ethiopia could not leave Odesa, for example.
Ukraine remains a reliable partner for the civilised world and is ready to continue shipping agricultural products to ensure global food security.
(Edited by V.Graham)
