Russia to Continue to Supply Grain, Food, Fertilizers to Africa, Says Putin

Russia is able to replace Ukrainian grain and will continue to supply grain and fertilizers to African countries despite sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote in an article titled "Russia and Africa: Joining Efforts for Peace, Progress and a Successful Future" published by the Kremlin on Monday.

"I want to give assurances that our country is capable of replacing the Ukrainian grain both on a commercial and free-of-charge basis, especially as we expect another record harvest this year," Putin said.

The Russian city of St. Petersburg will host the Russia–Africa Summit from July 27-28. Putin emphasized that Russia is ready to build mutually beneficial relations with the African Union, including within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union.

"Notwithstanding the sanctions, Russia will continue its energetic efforts to provide supplies of grain, food products, fertilisers and other goods to Africa. We highly value and will further develop the full spectrum of economic ties with Africa – with individual states as well as regional integration associations and, naturally, with the African Union," the Russian leader wrote.

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In addition, President Putin said that the Black Sea Grain Initiative, commonly known as the grain deal, did not justify its humanitarian purpose and was used only to enrich the United States and Europe.

The initiative, which was signed last year between Russia and Ukraine with the mediation of Turkey and the UN and provided for a humanitarian corridor to allow the export of Ukrainian grain, expired on July 18 because Moscow did not renew its participation. The Russian side has repeatedly criticized the fact that the provisions of the agreement concerning Russia have not been fulfilled.

"Many have probably heard of the so-called ‘grain deal,’ whose initial purpose was to ensure global food security, reduce the threat of hunger and help the poorest countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America – the reason why Russia undertook the obligation to facilitate its implementation in the first place. This ‘deal,’ however, while it was publicly advertised by the West as a gesture of goodwill that benefited Africa, has in fact been shamelessly used solely for the enrichment of large US and European businesses that exported and resold grain from Ukraine," Putin said.

The Russian president emphasized that, in almost a year, a total of 32.8 million tonnes (metric tons) of supplies were exported from Ukraine under the grain deal, with over 70% of the exports ending up in high- and upper-middle-income countries, while countries such as Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, as well as Yemen and Afghanistan, received less than 3% of the supplies.

"In the meantime, none of the 'deal' provisions relating to the exemption from sanctions of Russian grain and fertiliser exports to world markets, were fulfilled," Putin wrote.

Sub-Saharan Africa

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The Russian president stressed that barriers have been mounted to Russia’s attempts to supply free of charge mineral fertilizers to the poorest countries in need.

"Of 262,000 tonnes of goods blocked in European ports, only two shipments were delivered – one of 20,000 tonnes to Malawi and one of 34,000 tonnes to Kenya. The rest is still unscrupulously held by the Europeans. And this is a purely humanitarian initiative we are talking about, which should be exempt from any sanctions as such," Putin said, adding that, considering all these facts, "there is no longer any use in continuing the 'grain deal' as it has failed to serve its original humanitarian purpose."