As part of the Italian mission to New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, led by Minister Tajani, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs Maria Tripodi spoke today at the high-level event dedicated to the impact of the situation in the Black Sea on global food security.
“Food must never be used as a weapon of war. We must protect civil navigation and essential infrastructure and respect international law”, said Tripodi, highlighting Italy’s contribution to Ukraine’s agricultural sector and its initiatives to support agriculture in the Odessa region, as well as the support provided to the FAO’s actions to mitigate the effects of disruptions to Ukrainian grain exports. Italy supports efforts to secure a moratorium on attacks on ports and civil navigation in the Black Sea, in the belief that the protection of maritime routes and the continuity of agricultural exports are essential for food security, particularly in those countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia that are most dependent on imports.
Tripodi also took part in the event co-organised by France, the United Kingdom and Canada as part of international efforts to revitalise the implementation of the two-state solution, aimed at setting out operational priorities for the next six months, with a particular focus on the humanitarian situation and recovery in Gaza. Last July, Italy announced a contribution of EUR 10 million to the UN Trust Fund, focusing on projects dedicated to temporary housing solutions, food security and the maritime economy. Italy is also one of the main contributors to the Team Gaza Initiative (TGI), launched by the European Commission to strengthen the coordination, coherence and effectiveness of collective action for the recovery of the Gaza Strip, with projects totalling EUR 895 million.