Виступ Заступниці Постійного Представника України Христини Гайовишин на відкритих дебатах Ради Безпеки ООН

Statement by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine at the UN Security Council Open Debate

“The Impact of Climate Change and Food Insecurity on the Maintenance of International Peace and Security”

(13 February 2024)

Mr. President,

My delegation is grateful to the Guyana Presidency for convening this important debate. We thank the briefers for their comprehensive presentations.

The global challenges related to climate change and food security are more than relevant in the context of maintenance of international peace and security. They should remain among topics for consideration in the UN Security Counsil framework.

The impacts of climate change and food insecurity are inter-connected. Irrespective of the region, food insecurity is accelerated by climate change and can compound conflict situations globally.

The challenge is especially severe for countries that are most vulnerable to climate impacts, including small island developing states and those vulnerable to or already in conflict situations.

Ukraine has always been a promoter of intensified and concerted actions to address climate change as a global threat to international peace and security. In December 2021 Ukraine was among 113 Member States that cosponsored a thematic Security Council’s resolution on security implications of climate change. We regret that the draft was not adopted due to the veto cast by the Russian Federation.

As a member of the Group of Friends on Climate and Security, Ukraine fully recognizes the need to strengthen multilateralism to promote the interlinkages between climate, peace and security. Climate change not only affects vulnerable communities and ecosystems but poses a direct and existential threat to many UN Member States.

Mr. President, food security is another crucial issue for maintenance of international peace and security.

Over the past years, Ukraine has been a major contributor to food security in many countries around the world.

After Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2023, we managed to establish alternative temporary routes for civilian vessels to / from the Black Sea ports of Ukraine.

So far, over 700 ships have passed through the new grain humanitarian corridor, carrying some 22 million tons of cargo to over 30 countries. 70% of these cargoes are products of our agricultural producers. In January 2024, Ukraine reached pre-war export volumes by sea.

An end to Russian occupation and missile terror of our ports and infrastructure would increase the supply of Ukrainian food to the global market thus contributing to the global food security and the efforts of the civilized world for maintenance of international peace and security.

Unfortunately, that aggressive behavior of the Russian Federation has been multiplying conflicts and thus undermining our collective ability to concentrate on resolving global threats already existed.

It clearly demonstrates interlinkages within the global security architecture, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine affected world’s capabilities to efficiently address the threats related to climate and food security.

Let me reiterate Ukraine’s full support of the initiatives aimed at addressing climate change and promoting food security in the context of international peace and security, including within the UN Security Council, General Assembly and ECOSOC. Interrelations between climate change, food security and conflict are obvious and deserve adequate attention.