Poland’s foreign ministry announced in a tweet that the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation's (FAO) 33rd Regional Conference for Europe taking place in Łódź, central Poland, this week "almost unanimously adopted a decision condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine.”
Three countries, Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan, voted against, the Polish foreign ministry added.
Russia attacking 'agricultural infrastructure'
The Polish foreign ministry said in a separate statement that “member states expressed their concern about the impact of Russian aggression on world food security, as well as the rising prices of food, fertilisers and energy.”
It added that country delegations “referred to the earlier resolutions of the UN General Assembly, recalling, among other things, that attacks on agricultural infrastructure that directly affect food supply chains, constitute a breach of international law which the Russian Federation has committed to obey.”
Call on Russia to end hostilities
The Łódź conference, chaired by Poland's top diplomat Zbigniew Rau, "called upon Russia to immediately cease hostilities in order to fully resume agricultural production,” the Polish foreign ministry said.
Conference participants "also requested FAO to prepare and implement recovery plans to ensure food security in the countries most affected by the conflict,” Polish officials told reporters.
Solidarity and support for Ukraine
Finally, the gathering “expressed its solidarity and support for Ukraine, as well as recognition for the countries supporting Kyiv and accepting refugees,” the Polish foreign ministry said.
It added that the conference “stressed its deep concern about the threat of the Russian authorities to limit food supplies to countries supporting Ukraine.”
Four-day UN conference in central Poland
Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk and FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu were among those who attended the four-day conference, which began on Tuesday, the PAP news agency reported.
Also attending were government ministers from 52 other European and Central Asian countries, in addition to representatives from observer states such as the United States and Canada, and civil society groups, officials said.
Friday is day 79 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Poland on Friday reported it had welcomed nearly 3.34 million refugees fleeing Russia's war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, gov.pl