A UN ship carrying Ukrainian grain to Ethiopia, where millions are at risk of starvation, has reached the port of Djibouti.
The ship, the Brave Commander, is the first vessel to make its way from Ukraine since Russia launched its unprovoked invasion in late February, effectively blocking all of Ukraine's Black Sea ports, one of the world's most important supply routes for grains, cereals, and fertilizers.
"We have officially docked! The first WFP ship to carry Ukrainian grain since February has just arrived in Djibouti. Now, let’s get this wheat offloaded and on to Ethiopia," the head of the UN's World Food Program, David Beasley, said in a tweet on August 30.
The Lebanese-flagged Brave Commander departed from the Ukrainian port of Yuzhne, east of Odesa, on August 16 with 23,000 tons of grain.
Ukraine and Russia reached a deal with Turkey on July 22 to restart Black Sea grain deliveries after a five-month stoppage triggered by Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor.
The blockade of Ukraine's ports sparked fears of a global food shortage and caused prices of grain to skyrocket, hitting impoverished nations hard.
Ethiopia is one of five countries that the UN considers at risk of starvation.
