Title: Russian President Offers Free Grain to African Countries Amid Global Food Supply Concerns
In a significant move aimed at bolstering key alliances with African nations, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced the offering of free grain to six countries in the continent. This gesture comes shortly after Russia withdrew from the Ukraine grain export deal, causing worries about global food supplies.
The offer of free grain was extended to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Eritrea, and the Central African Republic, as confirmed by President Putin during a two-day summit held in St Petersburg. The summit, attended by nearly 50 African leaders and officials, is being seen as a test of Putin’s support in Africa amid international isolation due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
However, the Kremlin has accused Western countries of trying to prevent African states from participating in the summit, which has raised concerns about the true intentions behind Russia’s generous grain donation.
Under this aid initiative, Putin has pledged to ship up to 50,000 tonnes of grain to the six African countries within the next three to four months. While some have hailed this move as a positive step towards addressing food supply needs, critics argue that this donation is insufficient in comparison to the impact caused by the Ukrainian grain export deal withdrawal and India’s recent ban on rice exports.
The withdrawal of millions of tonnes of Ukrainian grain from the global market has already prompted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to issue a warning about the potential rise in food prices, particularly affecting developing and vulnerable nations. Guterres calls for urgent action to prevent a severe food crisis.
In response to Putin’s grain donation, the White House Press Secretary has dismissed it as inadequate compensation for Russia’s withdrawal from the grain export deal. The US Secretary of State has called on African leaders to demand answers about the disruptions in grain supply.
Amid the summit, Putin held separate talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. While joint energy projects with Ethiopia and Egypt were praised, doubts were raised regarding the future of the Wagner mercenary group’s operations in Africa following a failed mutiny.
The St Petersburg summit precedes an upcoming summit of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) leaders. However, South Africa has announced that Putin will not attend in person due to an international arrest warrant against him.
In other news, Ukrainian forces claim to have recaptured the village of Staromaiorske from Russian forces, marking one of the first victories on the southern front of Ukraine’s counteroffensive.
As tensions persist and events unfold in various regions, the international community remains watchful of the consequences of global grain supply disruptions and the implications for food security worldwide.
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