African Union Chairman Azali Assoumani called on Russia to allow the export of both Ukrainian and Russian grain on Thursday, amid fears that the blockade will lead to a spike in food prices that would worsen a food security emergency in the Horn of Africa.
RIGA, Latvia — African Union chairman Azali Assoumani called on Russia to allow the export of both Ukrainian and Russian grain at the opening session of the Russia-Africa summit on Thursday, amid fears
Assoumani spoke directly after Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is using the summit as a way to try to cut Ukrainian grain out of African markets. Putin told the African leaders who were at the summit that Russia would replace Ukrainian grain supplies to Africa and boasted that Russia accounts for 20 percent of global supplies.
He said the issue of grain supply was “the most important vital problem for us,” and he warned that “the suspension of the grain deal may have some impact on our cooperation.”International Monetary Fund chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas told journalists Tuesday that global grain prices could increase by as much as 15 percent as a result of the blockade.
“Anyone who thinks Russia won’t continue to weaponize grain if it succeeds in knocking Ukraine out of the global supply chain hasn’t been paying attention,” analyst Sam Greene of King’s Russia Institute at King’s College London said in a social mediaPutin told the African leaders that Russia would deliver 25,000 to 50,000 metric tons of wheat free of charge to Zimbabwe, Mali, the Central African Republic, Burkino Faso and Eritrea, all nations with close Russian ties, as well as Somalia, which...
He also condemned Wednesday’s coup in Niger, an impoverished landlocked state in the strategic Sahel region of Africa, and demanded the immediate release of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum and his family. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the coup would be “actively discussed” at the summit.
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