African leaders meeting at a summit in St. Petersburg defend Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea and indicate that compensatory Russian grain shipments to the continent will not be sufficient for food security.
(DW) African leaders gathered in St. Petersburg for the 2nd Russia-Africa Summit called on Friday (28/07) on Russian President Vladimir Putin to renew the agreement that allows the export of grain produced in Ukraine through the Black Sea.
The agreement contributed to the balance in global food prices and the fight against hunger in the world and was interrupted by the Kremlin last week, which according to the UN will have a negative effect on hundreds of millions of people.
As a compensatory measure for the suspension of the agreement, Putin promised on Thursday to send thousands of tons of Russian grain to African countries, but leaders on the continent estimate that this will not be enough to guarantee military security.
Without being outright critical of the Russian leader, who operates a strategy of influence over Africa, they pressed for normalization of the flow of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea.
“Disruptions in energy and grain supplies need to come to an end immediately. The grain deal needs to be extended for the benefit of all the people of the world, Africans in particular,” said Moussa Faki Mahamat, chair of the African Union Commission, which brings together 55 African countries, addressing Putin at the summit in St. Petersburg. “This war must end. And that can only happen through justice and reason.”
Azali Assoumani, president of the African Union, also reinforced the call for a ceasefire and indicated that the shipment of grain to the continent announced by Russia might not be enough.
“The President of Russia has shown that he is ready to help us in practice with the supply of grain. Yes, this is important, but it may not be enough. We need to reach a ceasefire,” he said, noting that he sees Putin as “ready to talk and find a solution”. “Now we need to convince the other side,” he said.
Putin replied to the African leaders that it was Kiev that was refusing to negotiate on the terms stipulated by a Russian decree, not recognized by the international community, that incorporates four regions of Ukraine into Russian territory.
African proposal to end the conflict
The African Union has drawn up a proposal for ending the conflict, which includes the pullback of Russian troops in Ukraine, the removal of Russian tactical nuclear weapons from Belarus, the suspension of the international arrest warrant issued against Putin by the International Criminal Court and relief from Western sanctions on Moscow.
Putin received the proposal with courtesy, but said only that he will consider it carefully.
The President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso, told the summit in St Petersburg that the African proposal “deserves due attention, it cannot be underestimated (…) Once again, we urgently call for the restoration of peace in Europe”.
Senegal’s President Macky Sall called for “a de-escalation to help create peace”, while South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he hoped “constructive engagement and negotiation” could put an end to the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski rejects the idea of a ceasefire now, arguing it would leave Russia in control of about a fifth of Ukrainian territory and give Moscow’s forces time to strengthen after 17 months of war.
Ukraine at the moment focuses efforts on a counteroffensive to try to regain Russian-occupied territories, which is advancing at a slower pace than the Ukrainian military would like.