Mr. Putin hosted Senegalese President Macky Sall, who chairs the African Union, at his Black Sea residence in Sochi on the one centesimal day of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.
Mr. Putin hosted Senegalese President Macky Sall, who chairs the African Union, at his Black Sea residence in Sochi on the one centesimal day of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.
African Union head Macky Sall on Friday urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to take into consideration the struggling in African nations from meals shortages attributable to Moscow’s navy marketing campaign in Ukraine.
Mr. Putin hosted Senegalese President Macky Sall, who chairs the African Union, at his Black Sea residence in Sochi on the one centesimal day of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine, with international meals shortages and grain provides caught in Ukrainian ports excessive on the agenda.
Mr. Sall requested Mr. Putin to “become aware that our countries, even if they are far from the theatre (of action), are victims on an economic level” of the battle.
He stated it was essential to work collectively in order that “everything that concerns food, grain, fertilizer is actually outside” of Western sanctions imposed on Moscow after Mr. Putin despatched troops to Ukraine on February 24.
Mr. Sall additionally stated that as a consequence of Western sanctions “we no longer have access to grain from Russia and especially fertilizer” that’s essential for Africa’s “already deficient” agriculture.
“That really creates serious threats to the food security of the continent,” Mr. Sall added.
In his remarks in entrance of reporters, Mr. Putin didn’t point out grain provides however stated Russia was “always on Africa’s side” and was now eager to ramp up cooperation.
“At the new stage of development, we place great importance on our relations with African countries, and I must say this has had a certain positive result,” Mr. Putin added.
“Our turnover is growing,” he added. “This year, even in the first months of this year, it has grown by more than 34%.”
Washington and Brussels have imposed unprecedented sanctions towards Moscow, pushing Mr. Putin to hunt new markets and strengthen ties with nations in Africa and Asia.
The Kremlin stated the 2 leaders mentioned increasing “political dialogue” between Russia and the African Union in addition to financial and humanitarian cooperation.
Speaking to reporters earlier on Friday, Mr. Putin’s spokesman stated Mr. Putin would clarify the scenario with grain provides caught in Ukrainian ports to Mr. Sall.
“With a high degree of probability and confidence, I can assume that the president will give exhaustive explanations of his vision of the situation with Ukrainian grain,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated.
He stated Mr. Putin will clarify “the real state of affairs.”
“No one is blocking these ports, at least not from the Russian side,” Mr. Peskov added.
Mr. Putin has stated Moscow is able to search for methods to ship grain blocked in Ukrainian ports however has demanded the West raise sanctions.
Moscow’s navy marketing campaign in Ukraine and a barrage of worldwide sanctions on Russia have disrupted provides of fertilizer, wheat and different commodities from each nations, pushing up costs for meals and gasoline, particularly in growing nations.
Cereal costs in Africa, the world’s poorest continent, have surged due to the droop in exports from Ukraine, sharpening the influence of battle and local weather change and sparking fears of social unrest.
Ships loaded with grain stay blocked in Ukraine, which earlier than February was a number one exporter of corn and wheat and alone accounted for 50% of world commerce in sunflower seeds and oil.
The UN has stated Africa faces an “unprecedented” disaster attributable to the battle.
In 2019, Mr. Putin hosted dozens of African leaders in Sochi in a bid to reassert Russia’s affect on the continent.
Though by no means a colonial energy in Africa, Moscow was a vital participant on the continent within the Soviet period, backing independence actions and coaching a technology of African leaders.
Russia’s ties with Africa declined with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and, in recent times, China has emerged as a key overseas energy on the continent.
Source: www.thehindu.com
