EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell hailed the recently signed deal mediated by Türkiye and the United Nations, enabling Ukraine to ship grain for the U.N.'s World Food Programme (WFP).
"Thanks to the Istanbul agreement, Ukraine is again able to deliver grain to the WFP," Borrell said on Twitter.
He hailed the U.N. shipment of 23,000 tons of Ukrainian products to the Horn of Africa, which was the first humanitarian cargo that set sail since the Türkiye-brokered accord was signed on July 22 between Türkiye, the U.N., Ukraine and Russia.
Borrell noted that Russia has used "food as a weapon" to worsen hunger around the world, calling on Moscow to "respect its commitment so that Ukraine's exports can continue to reach those in need, mostly in Africa."
The U.N.-chartered carrier Brave Commander left Istanbul on Wednesday and arrived on Friday at the port of Yuzhny in southern Ukraine.
The ship will carry 23,000 tons of grain through the port of Djibouti to be distributed in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia have been experiencing one of their worst droughts in decades.
The four-year natural disaster has left over 18 million people facing hunger.
According to the U.N., Ukraine exported 45 million tons of grain before the war with Russia erupted in February.
On July 22, Türkiye, the U.N., Russia and Ukraine signed a deal in Istanbul to reopen three Ukrainian ports – Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny – for grain exports.
The historic deal, brokered by Türkiye and the U.N., has unblocked exports of grain stuck in Ukrainian ports since the beginning of the war.
Internationally praised for its mediator role, Türkiye has also coordinated with Moscow and Kyiv to open a corridor from the Ukrainian port city of Odessa to resume global grain shipments.
