African leaders with Russian President
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The recent summit of various African leaders in Russia marking the Russia-Africa summit of 2024 in St. Petersburg gained a moment when many African leaders insisted Kremlin to end the Ukraine War and move towards a healthy peace plan.
Grains to the nations mean a lot, the cut from the supplies will affect them adversely, and the dependence is all to them. Ukraine President Zelensky said on Friday that peace talks with Russia can only be set up if Russian forces withdrew from Ukrainian land.
Leaders of Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, Congo Republic, Uganda and the Comoro Islands met Putin, they were seeking agreements building confidence measures.
In the meantime, Putin attacked Ukraine for its approach and blamed that it is Ukraine who is not willing to talk. He added that the global food crisis is due to the fault of Western Nations’ policies. Putin is already facing charges from the International Criminal Court(ICC) over the issue of deporting children from Ukraine.
AFRICAN NATIONS STAND
The Grain deal was an agreement brokered by the United Nations (UN) and Turkey Last year to allow the safe passage of agri. Goods from Southern Ukraine ports through the channel of the Black Sea. Putin said the country was ready to supply six African countries Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Central African Republic and Eritrea with free grains upto 25000-50000 tonnes of grain in the next 3-4 months free of cost.
He added that the deal was required to ensure global food security and help poor nations. He added that 70% of grain was exported through Black Sea Grain Deal and it went to high and upper-middle nations. Russia has a significant contribution to the wheat market in the world accounting for 20%!
Meanwhile, leaders like Ramaphosa were clear with his approach of not taking any sides between the global powers and rather negotiating to end the conflict as soon as possible, there was the absence of other African big Nations leaders as well like Nigeria etc.
Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso embraced that The African peace initiative deserves the utmost attention and calls for peace in the region.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged both to resume the grain deal to help the countries who are dependent, Sisi is also the key buyer via the Black Sea Route, who told everyone to reach an agreement. Russia has continuously bombed the Southern port cities of Ukraine after it pulled out from the deal.
Putin will not leave the one-fifth that his forces have captured of Ukraine meanwhile even Zelensky will also not be going to sit at the same table.
THE FUTURE BY RUSSIAÂ
In 2019 Russia pledged to double their trade with African Nations to reach $40 billion which has not met the target but rather only standing at $18 billion. Russia trades significantly with Algeria, Morocco, Maghreb Nations, Egypt and BRICS member South Africa.
South Africa this month announced that the Russian President will not attend the BRICS summit in the country but rather will join it via an online conference model since he is accused by ICC.
The African Development Bank said that 15 out of 54 African Nations buy more than half of their wheat from these two nations only.
Russia is ready to share its technology in the agricultural field with the African Nations and assist them in the advancement. He ensures that Africa can also export various food items if the things go in proportion.
Previously the Soviets and Russia had built and designed energy spectra in many countries including Angola, Egypt etc. with a capacity of 4.6 gigawatts and Russia wishes to continue it.
