- Environment Secretary addresses
Kyiv conference and announces further support for Ukraine food
security initiatives.
- £3 million of funding to enable
Ukrainian grain shipments to feed the most vulnerable in Nigeria.
- Progress in new technology
development to stop Russian theft of Ukrainian grain.
Environment Secretary set out a package of support
for Ukraine while addressing the international community at the
Kyiv International Summit: Grain from Ukraine today – showing the
UK’s solidarity with Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unprovoked
assault.
In his video address to the conference, the Secretary of State
reaffirmed the UK’s support for President Zelenskyy’s Grain from
Ukraine initiative, with £3 million of additional funding to
enable shipments of Ukrainian grain to Nigeria in 2024,
coordinated through the World Food Programme. This follows £5
million that the UK contributed to the initiative in 2022, which
facilitated lifesaving grain shipments to Kenya.
The event comes on the day Ukraine marks Holodomor Memorial Day –
the famine caused by the Soviet government forcibly seizing grain
and other food from Ukrainians in 1932-33 leading to the deaths
of at least 3.9 million people.
After tearing up the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Russia destroyed
over 280,000 tonnes of grain in one month, which could have fed
over 1.25 million people for a year. In the face of these
relentless and targeted attacks on ports and grain
infrastructure, the initiative ensures Ukrainian grain still
reaches those most in need while protecting global food security,
keeping prices down and strengthening
markets.
Environment Secretary
said:
“From our government to our farmers, our solidarity with the
people of Ukraine remains cast iron. The UK is committed to
ensuring Ukraine can continue to export grain to those most in
need.
“I am also proud we will be able to share the UK and Defra’s
expertise to help Ukraine’s farmland and nature recover from the
destruction of the Nova Kakhovka Dam and the impact of the
conflict.”
Environment Secretary also updated the conference
on the development of our Grain Verification Scheme, which is
being backed with £2 million in UK funding. The scheme will use
cutting edge science to determine where grain has been grown and
harvested – supporting Ukraine’s efforts to trace and stop theft
of grain from occupied regions. Further information on the scheme
will be unveiled early next year.
Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has also had a disastrous
impact on Ukraine’s natural environment. During his speech, the
Secretary of State noted the UK’s support to help restore
contaminated agricultural land and nature in Ukraine that have
been devastated from both flooding and conflict. This includes in
June when the Environment Agency provided £16 million of flood
equipment, including pumps and temporary barriers, following the
destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam which led to widespread
flooding and damage.
As part of the Grain from Ukraine programme, Ukraine has sent 170
thousand tonnes of grain to countries experiencing the greatest
food insecurity, including Ethiopia, Somalia, and Yemen. The
programme is planned to be expanded to other countries in need
with the UK providing a further £3 million, which was previously
announced by the Prime Minister at the G20 Summit, to fund a
shipment of Ukrainian grain to Nigeria.
The Kyiv International Summit: Grain from Ukraine brought
together more than 60 leaders of countries and organisations,
covering strengthening Ukraine’s humanitarian role with global
food security, expanding the Grain from Ukraine initiative, both
in terms of funding and recipient countries, encouraging business
involvement in the initiative, coordinating activity to end
blockage of and attacks on Black Sea ports by
Russia.
