Ukraine has joined a group of nearly 80 WTO members (the World Trade Organization) which issued the joint statement that these countries commit to not impose export restrictions on foodstuffs purchased by the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) for humanitarian aid.

As reported on the website of the Ministry for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine, the countries announced the joint statement after a meeting of the General Council of the WTO in December 2020 failed to reach a compromise for the appropriate decision, which would be binding on all WTO members.

"We appreciate the efforts of the UN World Food Program (WFP) to overcome hunger and food shortages in the world, improve the quality of food supply and the living standards of the most vulnerable part of the population at the most critical moments of their lives," the press service of the ministry said, quoting Minister Ihor Petrashko.

"At the same time, we recognize that export restrictions create barriers to the provision of humanitarian aid," the minister said.

The ministry said the importance of the statement by WTO members in view of the situation that has developed in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which leads to increased uncertainty in agricultural markets and a worsening of the situation of the world's poor, in particular, due to the spread of restrictions on the export of foodstuffs.