ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed Turkey for its key role in preventing a looming global food crisis by brokering a deal on Ukraine’s Black Sea grain exports.
With the mediation of Turkey and the UN, Kyiv and Moscow signed an agreement in Istanbul on Friday to resume Ukrainian grain shipments from Black Sea ports.
“Ukraine grain deal signed in Istanbul is a historic victory of diplomacy signifying that all crises can be averted through meaningful engagement,” Sharif said on Twitter.
“On this remarkable achievement, I congratulate my brother President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and thank Turkey for playing a key role in preventing (a) global food crisis.”
Under the deal, reached on an UN-led plan during talks in Istanbul, a coordination centre will be established to carry out joint inspections at the entrances and exits of harbours, and to ensure the safety of the routes.
Internationally praised for its mediator role, Turkey has coordinated with Moscow and Kyiv to open a corridor from the Ukrainian port city of Odesa to restart shipments stuck due to the Russia-Ukraine war, now in its fifth month.
