Russia to deliver grain to several African countries for free: Putin

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Jul 2023 15:10
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The Russian President says 30 promising energy projects with Russian participation are being developed in 16 African countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Russia-Africa Summit, in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, on July 27. 2023 (TASS)

Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out on Thursday that Russia and African countries have managed to increase economic ties despite difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic and sanctions, with their mutual trade growing by almost 35% this year.

"Despite difficulties related to the coronavirus pandemic and illegal sanctions against Russia, we have managed to increase trade and economic relations [with Africa] ... over the first half of this year, trade increased by almost 35%," Putin said at a meeting with the chairman of the African Union, president of the Union of the Comoros Azali Assouman.

The Russian leader stressed that his country supports the African Union’s involvement in international associations and backs the initiative to grant Africa a seat at the G20, adding that Moscow expects such a decision to be made at the G20 summit in India in September.

Russia managed to effectively resist Western sanctions: AU chairman

On his part, Assoumani said leaders of African nations are grateful to the Russian President for his support in promoting the continent's interests on international platforms.

The chairman of the African Union considered that Russia has managed to effectively resist Western sanctions that were imposed due to the war in Ukraine.

"Russia and its President [Vladimir] Putin showed us that it was able to resist [sanctions] effectively over time," Assoumani told Sputnik, adding that it seems that the West does not have the resources to impose more sanctions.

In the same context, Putin said Africa's potential is obvious, and Russia is interested in further deepening trade and humanitarian ties with the continent.

"Africa's potential is obvious to everyone, for example, the average annual growth rate of the continent's GDP over the past 20 years, 4% and 4.5% per year, exceeds the global ones," Putin said at the plenary session of the Russia-Africa summit.

The second Russia-Africa Summit is taking place in the Russian city of St. Petersburg from July 27-28. According to the Kremlin, summit participants are expected to sign a number of international and bilateral documents.

Putin noted that Russia and Africa are able to significantly increase mutual trade in the near future.

"I would like to note that trade between Russia and Africa reached $18 billion last year. It is one of the obvious results of the Russia-Africa summit in Sochi. I am sure that we all are able to increase trade more significantly in near future," he explained.

The Russian President highlighted that despite sanctions on Russian exports, Russia delivered 11.5 million tonnes of grain to African countries in 2022 and nearly 10 million tonnes in the first six months of this year.

Putin underlined that Russia is making every effort to prevent a global food crisis.

"We strive to actively participate in the formation of a more equitable system for the distribution of resources, we are making every effort to prevent a global food crisis," he said, adding that Russia understands the importance of "uninterrupted supplies of food" to Africa and will pay special attention to this.

Western obstructions

Putin pointed out that the West creates obstructions to the supply of Russian fertilizers to African nations for free and to the supply of Russian grain to the continent. At the same time, the West blames Moscow for the ongoing situation, he added.

According to Putin, 30 promising energy projects with Russian participation are being developed in 16 African countries, adding that the total capacity of those projects is approximately 3.7 gigawatts.

African countries could become food producers and even exporters by getting necessary technologies, with Russia only supporting these efforts, the Russian President said.

He mentioned that he had discussed the transfer of agricultural production technologies at a meeting with African colleagues.

The Russian leader noted that a total of 32.8 million tonnes of cargo was exported from Ukraine over the year of the grain deal, with more than 70% going to high-income countries, mainly the European Union.

At the same time, Putin said, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, and several other countries accounted for less than 3% of total exports or less than 1 million tonnes.

In this context, he expressed Russia's readiness to deliver 25,000-50,000 tonnes of grain to Burkina Faso, Mali, Eritrea, and a number of other African countries for free.

"In coming months, in coming three-four months, we will be ready to supply Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic, Eritrea with 25,000-50,000 tonnes of grain for free. We will ensure free delivery of this production to consumers as well," Putin announced at the plenary session of the Russia-Africa summit.