Ending Ukraine conflict also means ‘saving lives’ in Africa – AU chair
Ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict would mean saving “thousands” of people who rely on grain and other produce exported from the Black Sea region, African Union chair Azali Assoumani said on Thursday.
Speaking at the opening of the two-day Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, Assoumani, who is also the president of Comoros, called for “peaceful coexistence” between Russia and Ukraine, and urged for the 2022 grain-shipping deal to be revived.
“I have no choice but to notice today that with the Russia-Ukraine crisis the future of this partnership will be under threat should the crisis persist. Therefore, we need to find a resolution to the crisis in order to try to save the thousands of people who depend on these imports,” Assoumani said, as cited by WION news network.
Africa’s economic food security will be particularly endangered since the continent is badly affected by the shock of food price increases provoked by the interruption to supplies. We appeal… to the stakeholders to find a middle ground to ensure the safe delivery of cereals and fertilizers from Ukraine and Russia towards our continent.
Earlier this month, Moscow declined to extend the internationally brokered deal, which was struck in July 2022 to facilitate the resumption of grain exports from Ukrainian ports, previously interrupted by the fighting.
According to the Kremlin, Western countries have failed to hold up their end of the bargain by not removing obstacles to shipments of fertilizers and food from Russia. Although these exports do not directly fall under Western sanctions, Moscow insists that wider restrictions placed on Russian banks, logistics, and insurance render the shipments impossible.
President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is ready to “immediately” return to full compliance with the grain agreement if its concerns are addressed. Speaking in St. Petersburg on Thursday, the Russian leader pledged that Moscow will deliver grain for free to some of Africa’s poorest countries.
