CAIRO, Aug 16 (KUNA) -- Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmad Abul-Gheit on Wednesday underscored the significance of extending the Black Sea grain deal.
He made the remark in a phone conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, during which they focused on the latest developments of Ukraine and international efforts being exerted in order to end it, the Cairo-based bloc said in a press release.
They also discussed the difficulties Ukraine is facing to export its products, mainly grains, after the Russian side had declined to extend the Black Sea grain initiative, it added.
The league's chief said he looks forward to setting priorities for ensuring stable food prices as the global food market is witnessing a shortage of foodstuff, let alone unstable world production due to a set of factors, primarily drought and climate change.
He reiterated the league's backing to the initiative since it was launched in July 2022, given its paramount significance to providing grains to many countries, including Arab ones.
Russia had declined to extend the Black Sea grain deal, delaying the export of Ukrainian grain to the rest of the world.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which was brokered between Russia and Ukraine by the United Nations and Turkiye, has allowed 32.9 million metric tons of food to be exported from war-torn Ukraine since August. (end) mfm.aff.mt