Russia, African leaders to adopt joint action plan in upcoming summit

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
25 Jul 2023 10:07

Amid the expiration of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Moscow plans to propose African nations some solutions to address food security-related issues.

Parliamentary conference for the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, March 20, 2023. (Sputnik)

Russian ambassador-at-large and the head of the Russia-Africa partnership forum Oleg Ozerov told Sputnik on Tuesday that the leaders of Russian and African nations are planning to adopt an overarching policy declaration, a joint action plan, as well as three sector documents within the framework of the upcoming Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg on July 27-28.

"This will be an overarching policy declaration, a joint action plan, as well as three sector papers, which will concern the fight against terrorism, the non-deployment of weapons in space, and international information security," Ozerov said, commenting on what documents are expected to be signed at the summit.

Set expectations on the part of the Russian foreign ministry are that these documents will serve to reconfigure relations between Russia and the African World, as such that a new framework of collaboration will be based on equality and multipolarity rather than "unilateral dictatorship," Ozerov added.

Moreover, amid the expiration of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Moscow plans to propose African nations some solutions to address food security-related issues, the diplomat added, noting that a discussion on issues of global food security and fertilizer market is expected to take place during the summit in St. Petersburg from July 27-28.

"Of course, it will be not only a discussion as such, but the discussion with solutions for African nations so that they leave St. Petersburg with a clear understanding of how these issues will be resolved," Ozerov said, adding that Russia has already provided assistance to some countries with shipment deliveries of fertilizers.

Malawi and Kenya are among the recipients of such assistance, Ozerov said.

The war in Ukraine and sanctions on Russia have hindered grain exports out of Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea. As a result, food prices surged around the world, increasing concerns about famine in poor countries. However, the deal resulted in stabilizing the global food market.

But international watchdogs have repeatedly warned that the lion's share of the food produce was delivered to the West, leaving poor countries combined receiving less than one-third of exports.

On July 17, Moscow announced that it had "terminated" the grain deal, explaining that it would be resumed once Western countries fulfill their commitments to the deal, which, according to Russia, only benefited Ukraine while sanctions hindered the export and sale of Russian grain and fertilizers.

Earlier this week, Moscow gave the United Nations three more months to implement its obligations as per the co-signed memorandum, which includes overseeing that developing countries are made a priority to receive the food produce and regranting access of Russian Agricultural Bank to SWIFT.

"The UN has three more months to implement [the memorandum with Russia on the export of Russian grain and fertilizers] to achieve concrete results," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

The Russian diplomat added that the door is still open to discuss the grain deal only in the event that obligations towards Russia are met, Zakharova added.