On November 23, Kyiv hosted the Third International Food Security Summit under the humanitarian programme "Grain from Ukraine." The summit brought together world leaders, ministers, representatives of international organizations, and leading experts. The event took place on Ukraine’s Holodomor Remembrance Day. Participants observed a minute of silence in memory of the millions of innocent victims of Stalin's regime.
The summit serves as an important platform to promote international cooperation in delivering food to countries suffering from hunger and to discuss ways to overcome global challenges in food security.
This year’s summit continues the tradition of previous meetings traditionally held in Kyiv at the end of November. In 2022, the first summit launched President Zelensky's "Grain from Ukraine" initiative to support hunger-stricken countries. The second summit in 2023 focused on unblocking food supply routes and ensuring the uninterrupted export of Ukrainian grain. The Third International Summit aimed at developing sustainable food systems and strengthening the health of future generations through school nutrition reform, an area in which Ukraine is ready to share its experience and resources.
The summit also highlighted the achievements of the "Grain from Ukraine" programme, under which Ukraine has delivered over 286,000 tons of food aid to vulnerable populations in Africa.
Participants drew special attention to the need to implement innovative technologies that will increase the efficiency of agricultural production, conserve natural resources, and create sustainable food systems capable of adapting to climate change and global challenges.
An important topic of the event was Russia's ongoing aggression, which has inflicted significant losses on Ukraine’s agricultural sector and heavily impacted the global food market. Participants emphasized that deliberate attacks on Ukraine's port infrastructure and grain storage facilities, as well as the blocking of grain exports, threaten the food security of millions worldwide.
President Volodymyr Zelensky answered questions from journalists from African and Latin American countries who are currently visiting Ukraine. The head of state stressed that Ukraine values its partnerships with countries around the world and remains committed to its role as a reliable donor of global food security. Despite these challenges, Ukraine continues to be a key guarantor of global food security by creating alternative logistical corridors and calling for international solidarity against the use of hunger as a weapon against civilians.
As a result of the summit, participating countries announced further financial support for the "Grain from Ukraine" programme, amounting to approximately $44 million.
The Third International Food Security Summit highlighted the critical need for global unity in combating hunger, creating sustainable food systems, and preventing the use of food as a weapon.
The adoption of a Joint Statement at the end of the summit solidified shared commitments and outlined the foundations for further global actions aimed at fighting hunger, supporting vulnerable populations, promoting sustainable agricultural development, and ensuring projects focused on investing in the health of future generations.
The summit was attended by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, and Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitalii Koval. Addresses to the summit participants were delivered by the Presidents of Switzerland, Estonia, Costa Rica, and Lithuania; the Prime Ministers of Iceland, Cabo Verde, Luxembourg, Portugal, Finland, Croatia, Sweden, and Japan; as well as the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Other speakers included the First Lady of Belize, officials from over 25 countries, and representatives of leading international organizations, including the UN World Food Programme, FAO, UNICEF, UNCTAD, USAID, and others.
European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, Lithuanian Deputy Minister of Agriculture Laura Ramanauskaitė, Belgian Special Representative for Ukraine Jan De Pau, and Greek Special Representative for Ukraine Spyridon Lambrinidis were among those who traveled to Kyiv to participate in the summit.
