Intervention

by the delegation of Ukraine

during 80th UNGA Third Committee interactive dialogue with Special Rapporteur on the right to food Michael Fakhri

under agenda item “Promotion and protection of human rights”

17 October 2025

Thank you Chair,

Ukraine expresses its gratitude to the Special Rapporteur for the presented report and fully supports the call to ensure fair and stable food markets.

Ukraine shares the concern regarding the impact of corporate food systems on the basic human right to food. At the same time, we must stress that, despite the unprecedented challenges caused in our country by Russia’s full-scale invasion, on the national level, Ukraine continues to serve as one of the world’s key guarantors of global food security. Through the “Grain from Ukraine” humanitarian initiative, more than 316 000 tonnes of agricultural products have already been delivered to fifteen countries across Africa and the Middle East, helping to feed those most in need.

Over 136,000 square kilometres of Ukrainian land, an area larger than several European countries combined, still require surveying for the presence of explosive ordnance. Each hectare of our land could feed eighteen people for a year. Yet today, much of it remains unused due to mines and explosive remnants of war, directly threatening not only the lives of civilians but also the availability and accessibility of food for millions of people both within Ukraine and far beyond its borders.

Before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine produced enough food to feed 400 million people worldwide, much of it reaching the most vulnerable regions. Today, losses in wheat production alone mean 40 million fewer people are fed each year. What happens in Ukrainian fields today is not only an economic issue — it is a matter of basic human rights.

Ukraine  is deeply grateful to all partners contributing to demining efforts and restoring our agricultural potential. Your support is not only an act of solidarity with Ukraine, but a contribution to global food justice and the fulfilment of the right to food for millions of people.

I thank you.