Events

4 Aug 2023

Belarus’ diplomat in UN: Sanctions doom millions to hunger and death

An archive photo

MINSK, 4 August (BelTA) – The illegal blocking of supplies of Belarusian fertilizers has endangered food security in the world, Permanent Representative of Belarus to the United Nations Valentin Rybakov said at the UN Security Council open debate on conflict-induced famine and food insecurity, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The diplomat thanked the US delegation for the opportunity to discuss global food security, but said that Belarus could not support the joint communiqué. “In line with the best democratic traditions, the text of the document was not submitted for consideration, no consultations were held, there were no opportunities to put forward amendments. The document does not say a word about one of the main threats to food security - illegal unilateral sanctions. We have repeatedly reiterated at various levels and international platforms that the West’s illegal sanctions against Belarus, including against its potash industry, have a devastating impact on global food security,” Valentin Rybakov said.

The representative of Belarus emphasized that the exemptions from the sanctions, which are often publicly mentioned, are a sham and do not work - the sanctions completely block the supply of Belarusian fertilizers and food.

At the same time, potassium is crucial for crop production. “Fertilizers determine what kind of harvest we will have. Half of the food consumed by the world’s population is grown thanks to fertilizers. Removing fertilizers from the field means a 50% drop in yields. Every second person in the world depends on agricultural products that are grown using fertilizers,” said Valentin Rybakov.

Belarus is one of the world’s largest producers of potash fertilizers. Before the transit of Belarusian potash through the Baltic Sea ports was illegally banned, which is a direct violation of the rights of a landlocked country, Belarus’ share in the world trade in potash fertilizers was about 20%. Every fifth tonne of potash fertilizers in the world was produced in Belarus.

“The illegal unilateral actions of Lithuania and other Western countries to block the supply of Belarusian fertilizers have already jeopardized the food security of not just individual countries, but entire regions and continents,” the diplomat stressed.

According to the data that he cited, Belarus’ share in the potash fertilizer markets of Africa nosedived from 42% to 3% in 2022. “According to our estimates based on FAO data, the almost complete removal of Belarus from the list of potassium suppliers last year led to a drop in the grain harvest in Africa by 16%,” said Valentin Rybakov.

In 2023, the supply of Belarusian potassium to Africa is completely paralyzed due to Lithuania. At the same time, it should be taken into account that many countries of the continent relied solely on Belarusian fertilizers, while in a number of other countries Belarusian potassium met 50% or their potash needs.

“Fertilizer shortages are reported not only by corn and wheat growers, but also by producers of all other major crops, including rice, which will have a devastating impact on livelihoods of billions of people in Asia and South America in the near future. At our next meetings we will have to discuss not the lack of access to fertilizers, but the shocking statistics on victims of the global hunger crisis,” the diplomat warned.

Reports and studies of such authoritative international organizations and agencies as the UN, FAO, WTO, World Bank, International Fertilizer Association confirm Belarus’ conclusions that the current shortage of potash fertilizers in the world will significantly reduce yields and cause a sharp increase in food prices. Many farmers are already forced to cut production as fertilizers become more expensive than the grain they grow and sell.

“Illegal sanctions are a weapon of war. They were imposed against the Republic of Belarus unilaterally, in violation of all norms of international law, without mandates of the UN Security Council, under far-fetched pretexts. The authors of the sanctions and those who implement them violate the most important human right - the right to life, dooming millions of people to starvation and death. Western states should drop illegal unilateral sanctions as their favorite tool of war. This will be their real contribution to ensuring global food security,” the permanent representative of Belarus concluded.



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