Politicizing G20 special councils is unacceptable — Russian Health Minister

Russia’s Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko
© Petr Kovalev/TASS

Tendencies to politicize the work of the G20 specialized councils, particularly the Council of Ministers of Health, are unacceptable, as they put the responsibilities of developing the global health architecture in jeopardy, Russia’s Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko said.

"I would like to point out that we are witnessing unfavorable tendencies toward the politicization of the work of the G20 specialized councils, particularly the Council of Ministers of Health, which is unacceptable and invalidates the agreements reached. If the trend of political problems dominating industry issues continues, we risk failing to achieve our goals of strengthening global health architecture and achieving the highest level of global health," Murashko was quoted by the Ministry of Health.

Murashko also stated that Russia "strongly opposes" the criticism directed at Russia's special military operation by the G20 countries. "The operation was aimed to protect people who did not recognize the anti-constitutional coup in Kiev in 2014 and have been subjected to military aggression over the past eight years," he said.

Uralchem agrees on exporting fertilizers blocked in three EU countries to Africa

Uralchem-Uralkali group of companies agreed to export to Africa humanitarian consignments of fertilizers blocked in warehouses in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Estonia, general director of Uralchem Dmitry Konyaev told TASS.

According to him, on November 8, the company signed an agreement for the supply of the first batch to Malawi and is discussing the organization of supplies to Africa of more than 260,000 metric tons of fertilizers.

"The Uralchem-Uralkali group of companies is actively working with the UN to organize free deliveries of more than 262,000 tons of mineral fertilizers to Africa that were ‘frozen’ in the EU countries. Agreements have already been reached on the export of fertilizers located in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Estonia," he said.

Konyaev added that the distribution of fertilizers to specific countries is coordinated through the African Union, and the company supplies fertilizers at its own expense.

Earlier, the UN reported that the first batch of Russian fertilizers blocked in European ports will go to Malawi next week.

The general director of UCC "Uralchem" also noted that earlier the group supplied 23,500 metroc tons of complex fertilizer from Russia to Burkina Faso as humanitarian aid.