The disruption comes as humanitarian needs are at an all-time high after more than 12 years of war and in the wake of the devastating double earthquakes that struck the region in February.

The UN and partners were hoping for a 12-month extension of the mandate to transport aid through the Bab al-Hawa crossing point – a lifeline for four million people in northwest Syria, the last opposition stronghold.

Ambassador Sérgio França Danese of Brazil addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria.

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Rival resolutions

The first draft resolution, tabled by Brazil and Switzerland, called for a nine-month extension and included a paragraph on the expansion of crossline operations, increased funding, enhanced early recovery activities and humanitarian mine action. 

Speaking before the vote, Brazilian Ambassador Sérgio França Danese said they “spared no effort to try to achieve a text as consensual as possible.”

Although 13 of the 15 countries in the Council voted in favour of the resolution, it was struck down by a no vote from Russia, one of the five permanent members. China, another permanent member, abstained.

The second resolution for a six-month extension was submitted by Russia, which China supported. Three countries voted against and 10 abstained.

Consensus efforts to continue

The Security Council first established the cross-border mechanism in 2014, initially through four border crossings.  Bab al-Hawa is the only one remaining.

Every month, trucks deliver medicines, safe water, food, shelter supplies and other items for some 2.7 million Syrians. Damascus opened up two additional crossings in the aftermath of the earthquakes.

Swiss Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl said the resolution her country co-sponsored would have assured the continuation of humanitarian assistance by all cross-border and crossline modalities,  

“Brazil and Switzerland as co-pen holders are guided by the humanitarian imperative. We will therefore not let this veto cease our tireless efforts to find a solution,” she said.

Russia votes against

In explaining Russia’s vote, Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said the cross-border mechanism “looks completely anachronistic today”.  He highlighted the need to uphold Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Blessing the mechanism within which the terrorists from Idlib will, with impunity, disallow humanitarian assistance into the enclave through crosslines; where Western countries are funding the early recovery and humanitarian projects only on those territories which are not under Government control, and Syria itself is being suffocated with inhumane sanctions, is not something that we’re going to do,” he said.

Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia of the Russian Federation addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria.

‘A sad moment’

The resolution’s failure represented a sad moment for the Syrian people and the Security Council, “save for one country”, said United States Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

“Russia has not lived up to its responsibility as a permanent member of this Council. And it’s beneath the dignity of this body,” she said.

“This is a gross affront to the values we all hold dear to our efforts to advance peace and security, and above all, to the Syrian people who have endured so much needless suffering and violence at the hands of the Assad regime.”

Transition to crossline delivery

After the vote on the Russian draft, China expressed regret that the Council was unable to reach consensus on the renewal of the cross-border mechanism.

“We have all along maintained that humanitarian assistance to Syria should be provided in a way that respects the sovereignty of Syria and the Syrian Government’s ownership,” said Ambassador Jun Zhang.

The pipeline was a temporary arrangement under specific circumstances, he said, adding that “there is a need to speed up the transition to crossline assistance and to phase out the cross-border mechanism over time until its eventual discontinuation.”

Displaced children living in an informal settlement in northwest Syria.

UN chief disappointed

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has voiced his disappointment over the Council’s inability to reach agreement, his Spokesperson said in a statement issued following the meeting.

“UN cross-border assistance remains a veritable lifeline for millions of people in northwest Syria as humanitarian needs have reached an all-time high since the start of the conflict, while the impact of the devastating February earthquakes still acutely felt,” it said.  

Mr. Guterres urged Council members to redouble their efforts to support the continued delivery of cross-border assistance to millions in dire need “for the longest possible period.” 

 

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Also known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, it has been run by the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul, staffed by Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine, and the UN.

Here are the main facts and figures you need to know:

What has the Black Sea Grain Initiative achieved since being signed in July 2022?   

Nearly one year into the agreement, more than 32 million tonnes of food commodities have been exported from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports to 45 countries across three continents.  

The partial resumption of Ukrainian sea exports enabled by the Initiative has unblocked vital food commodities and has helped reverse spiking global food prices, which reached record highs shortly before the agreement was signed.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Price Index recorded a steady monthly decline over the past year, dropping more than 23 per cent from its peak in March 2022.  

The Initiative has allowed the World Food Programme (WFP) to transport more than 725,000 tonnes of wheat to help people in need in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Ukraine supplied more than half of WFP’s wheat grain in 2022, as was the case in 2021. 

Black Sea Grain Initiative cargo totals by destination and commodity

Food prices and inflation still remain high. How has the Initiative helped the millions of hungry people around the world?  

Although global food commodity prices have generally fallen, many factors influence food affordability and domestic food inflation, including exchange rates. The Initiative has helped reconnect foodstuffs from Ukraine to global supply chains, contributing to lower prices on world markets.  

The FAO Food Price Index stood at 140.6 in July 2022, when the Initiative was unveiled. It has declined 11.6 per cent since that time, reaching 122.3 points in June 2023.

In the same period, the FAO Cereal Price Index has fallen by 14 per cent from 147.3 points to 126.6 points, thanks in part to increased global supplies facilitated by the Initiative. 

Why should the Black Sea Initiative continue?  

Before the conflict, Ukraine was one of the leading grain exporters and the leading global exporter of sunflower oil. Its produce must continue to flow unhindered to supply markets and help to contain prices.

A lack of food supplies produces knock-on effects for the lives of millions of people, particularly the poorest, hitting them hard in the areas of health, education, and social cohesion.

The Initiative has allowed the partial resumption of vital food supplies into the market. It has given Ukrainian farmers some level of predictability in production and harvest and has revived key shipping lanes.

United Nations inspectors board a ship to conduct an inspection for the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC).

Is the Initiative intended to supply foodstuffs to low-income countries in Africa and elsewhere? Is it primarily humanitarian or commercial?  

The aim of the Black Sea Initiative is to facilitate exports from three Ukrainian sea ports. Crops from Ukraine are sold around the world, including to countries where some of the population is experiencing food insecurity.

Cargo may be processed and re-exported from the initial destinations. The Initiative does not stipulate where exports should go. Exports to any country, rich or poor, however, can help to calm global markets and mitigate food price inflation.

Supplies transported under the Initiative by WFP are directly supporting people in need in humanitarian crises. As of July 2023, WFP procured 80 per cent of its global wheat grain from Ukraine under the Initiative, up from 50 per cent in 2021 and 2022.

In this unique operation, commercial exports have global benefits.

When is the Initiative up for renewal, and for how long?  

The Black Sea Initiative’s initial duration was for 120 days starting on 22 July 2022. It was renewed by all parties on 18 November for another 120 days.

On 17 March, all parties agreed to its renewal, but Russia only agreed to a 60-day extension pending review. On 18 May, Russia confirmed its participation in the deal for another 60 days. As a result, the agreement is now set for renewal on 17 July.  

The UN would like to see the Initiative implemented and extended for as long as is needed so that food can be transported out of Ukraine using the Black Sea route safely and cost-effectively. 

Why have food exports through the Initiative dropped sharply in recent months?   

Food exports through the Initiative have declined significantly in recent months due to the slower pace of inspections and the exclusion of the port of Yuzhny/Pivdennyi from the Initiative.

From a record daily average high of 11 inspections in October 2022, the daily average has fallen below five in April, May, and June of 2023. 

Monthly exports peaked at 4.2 million metric tonnes in October 2022, but were only 1.3 million metric tonnes in May 2023.

Details and data on volumes and destinations of cargo are available here.  

Cargo and inspection volumes from 1 August 2022 to 10 July 2023: 

Cargo exports by port and month.

Why has ammonia not been exported?

Fertilizer exports, including ammonia, are critical for agricultural production and food security. The Initiative provides for the export of fertilizer, including ammonia.

The UN Secretary-General has emphasized the importance of increased fertilizer and ammonia supplies to support global food security. However, to date no fertilizer or ammonia has been exported under the Initiative.

Exports of ammonia under the Initiative would depend on the resumption of the ammonia pipeline from Togliatti in Russia to the Ukrainian port of Yuzhny/Pivdennyi. Damage to the pipeline was reported on 5 June, and its current status is not known.  

Why doesn’t the UN demand more vessel inspections in order to increase shipments?       

The UN remains firmly committed to supporting the effective implementation of the Initiative and its continuation. However, implementation is based on consensus, so all parties have to agree on the tempo of the operation.

Inspections are conducted jointly and all parties clear each vessel both for its inbound and outbound voyage. The UN team in the JCC is there to facilitate and work with the parties to try to address operational challenges.

High-level engagement with the parties continues in an effort to secure agreement on a package of measures to address their key concerns in a mutually acceptable manner. 

UN Inspector Metin Gezer carries out a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) inspection in the Marmara Sea.

How is the Initiative implemented? Why do exports from Ukraine have to go through an inspection regime while exports from Russia do not?    

The responsibility of the JCC is to facilitate the safe passage of commercial vessels carrying grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizers, including ammonia, in and out of three Ukrainian ports: Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Yuzhny/Pivdennyi.  

The JCC is also responsible for inspections of inbound and outbound vessels to ensure that there is no unauthorized cargo or crew. The JCC publicly reports on shipments and movements of ships facilitated under the Initiative.  

The Black Sea Initiative does not address exports from ports in Russia.

A crop farm in Baranove, Odesa region, Ukraine.

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Carrying over 1.1 million barrels of oil, the supertanker FSO Safer was abandoned off Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hudaydah after the civil war broke out in the country in 2015. Since then, the vessel has deteriorated significantly in absence of any servicing or maintenance, prompting fears of a major environmental disaster.

According to David Gressly, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, the vessel Nautica is preparing to sail from Djibouti. It will moor alongside the Safer and once the transfer starts, it will take about two weeks.

“The completion of the ship-to-ship transfer of the oil by the start of August will be a moment when the whole world can heave a sigh of relief,” Mr Gressly said, adding that the “worst-case humanitarian, environmental and economic catastrophe from a massive oil spill will have been prevented.”

After the oil has been off-loaded, the next critical step will include the delivery and instalment of a catenary anchor leg mooring (CALM) buoy, which is secured to the seabed, and to which the replacement vessel will safely be installed. The CALM buoy needs to be in place by September.

Generous donors and crowdfunding

Backed by generous funding from Member States, the private sector, and the general public, which contributed $300,000 through a crowdfunding campaign, UN raised about $118 million of the $148 million estimated budget for the undertaking.

The broad coalition working to prevent the catastrophe also includes environmental groups, including Greenpeace and, in Yemen, Holm Akhdar; as well as several UN entities.

Situation remains ‘fragile and challenging’

At a separate meeting of the 15-member Security Council on Monday, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, called on the warring parties to reach a “serious breakthrough” in the ongoing discussions to finally end the conflict between an international coalition backing the recognized Government, and Houthi rebels.

He said that despite a period of relative calm, the situation in crisis-ridden Yemen remains fragile and challenging, and that the country “cannot afford a seasonal peace”.

The Special Envoy underscored the need for the parties to the conflict to “to make further, bold steps toward a peace that is sustainable and just.”

“This means an end to the conflict that promises accountable national and local governance, economic and environmental justice, and guarantees of equal citizenship for all Yemenis, regardless of gender, faith, background or race,” he said.

In his briefing, Mr. Grundberg outlined a course of action including an immediate halt to military provocations and a sustainable nationwide ceasefire, economic de-escalation and addressing longer term economic priorities. 

He added the parties need to agree a clear path to restarting an intra-Yemeni political process, under UN auspices.

A boy is photographed carrying a water container in the Ala’amaseer area of the city of Aden, Yemen, on 29 April 2020.

Humanitarian needs still high

Assistant-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya, also briefed and told Security Council members that humanitarian needs in Yemen will remain high for the foreseeable future. 

In 2023, relief agencies aim to reach 17.3 million people, out of a staggering 21.6 million people in need of assistance, she said, adding that halfway through the year, the Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen is funded at just 29 per cent.

“As the political process progresses, we must remain vigilant and active on the humanitarian front. With better funding and more access, we can expand our reach and improve the protection of civilians – but we also need to see support for measures to improve Yemen’s economy,” she concluded.

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