The Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs warned this Friday the Security Council that the end of Russia’s participation in the Black Sea Initiative and its bombardment of ports will aggravate the crisis in Ukraine.
Rosemary DiCarlo noted that food prices are rising as a result, something that will add to the agricultural, energy and financial crises affecting vulnerable people around the world.
bombardment of ports
In addition, DiCarlo called the bombing of critical port infrastructure, facilities and grain supplies “a new blow to global food security.”
“Russia, for the fourth day in a row, has attacked the Ukrainian Black Sea ports of Odessa, Chornomorsk and Mykolaiv with missiles and drones. These attacks have also caused civilian casualties,” he stated.
The shelling of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports contradicts Russia’s commitments under the United Nations Memorandum of Understanding, whereby the Russian Federation would facilitate Ukraine’s integration into the Black Sea region, DiCarlo explained.
Threats to civilian ships
The Deputy Secretary General stated that “threats regarding possible attacks against civilian ships sailing in Black Sea waters are unacceptable. We are also concerned by reports of sea mines being placed in the Black Sea, which endanger civilian shipping.”
DiCarlo called for restraint in any action that could deteriorate the situation and that any risk of spillover of the conflict as a result of a military incident in the Black Sea must be avoided.
attacks against civilians
To date, the World Health Organization has documented damage to more than 1,000 healthcare facilities, resulting in 101 deaths and 139 injuries, DiCarlo said.
For its part, the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) has verified damage to 270 cultural sites, including 116 religious sites, 27 museums, 95 buildings of historical importance, 19 monuments, 12 libraries and one archive.
They have also recorded the death of 12 journalists and media workers.
In total, 3,467 educational institutions have also suffered shelling and shelling, and 335 of them have been destroyed.
In addition, children are being killed and maimed by high-impact explosive weapons in populated areas, and millions of Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes.
Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continue to carry out inspections at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya (file).
Destruction of critical infrastructure
For his part, DiCarlo noted that the destruction of the Kajovka dam on June 6 and subsequent flooding “have far-reaching and long-term environmental and humanitarian consequences.”
“According to the country’s Ministry of Agriculture, almost 600,000 hectares of farmland no longer have access to irrigation water after the destruction of the dam. This exacerbates the problems farmers face, in addition to mines and unexploded ordnance.”
In addition, the floods also worsened the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
In this sense, experts from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitor the availability of cooling water for the Power Plant. “Ensuring their security remains of the utmost importance not only for Ukraine, but for the entire region,” added Rosemary DiCarlo.
Almost a third of the country is mined
According to reports, almost a third of the country is contaminated with unexploded ordnance, landmines and cluster munitions, which will be a danger to the civilian population for years to come.
In this sense, DiCarlo explained that the United Nations is working with the Government of Ukraine to deal with “the threat of unexploded ordnance.” “So far, our mine action efforts have reached almost 3.5 million people,” he declared.
Finally, DiCarlo reiterated the intention of the General secretary to continue efforts to facilitate access to the world markets for food and fertilizers of both Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
“The only way to stop the unfolding catastrophe in Ukraine is to forge an end to the war on the basis of international law and the principles enshrined in the Charter, and in line with the resolutions of the general Assembly”, he finished.
