Africa Is ‘Hostage’ Of Russia-Ukraine War, Food Prices Rising Unjustly – President Zelensky Tells African Union

Africa Is ‘Hostage’ Of Russia-Ukraine War, Food Prices Rising Unjustly – President Zelensky Tells African Union

President of war-torn Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has said that Africa was “a hostage” of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Zelensky noted that the war which brought about global food shortages, has particularly spurred fears of famine across the African continent as the war had led to blockage of food exportation from the two countries which are the major producers of grain.

He however said that Kyiv was engaged in “complex negotiations” to unblock the grain trapped at its Black Sea ports by Russia’s naval blockade.

President Zelensky, according to Channels TV, said this in an address to the African Union (AU) that “Africa is actually a hostage…of those who unleashed war against our state.”

According to him, “This war may seem very distant to you and your countries. But the food prices that are catastrophically rising have already brought (the war) to the homes of millions of African families,” he said.

“The unjust level of food prices, which has been provoked by the Russian war, is being painfully felt on all continents. Unfortunately, this can be a particular problem for your countries.”

Recall that since Russia invaded Ukraine, it blocked Ukraine's ports, thereby paralysing grain exports from the country which is one of the world’s largest producers of grain.

This blockage sparked dramatic grain and fertiliser shortages and put hundreds of millions of people across the world at risk of hunger.

The President said Ukraine was trying everything possible to free up its ports while also trying “to build a new logistical supply chain” for the 25 million tonnes of grain blocked inside its borders.

He said, “We are conducting complex multilevel negotiations to unblock our Ukrainian ports. But there is no progress yet because no real tool has yet been found to ensure Russia does not attack them again.”

It could be noted that for now, global organisations had not found a way to convince Russia to surrender its weapons and end the war in Ukraine.

“That is why the food crisis in the world will continue as long as this colonial war continues.”

Zelensky added that Kyiv wanted to “intensify” dialogue with African Union member states and would soon appoint a special representative for Africa.

The Ukraine President further proposed to open discussion on a “major political and economic conference” on ties between Ukraine and Africa.

Reacting to Zelensky’s proposal, Senegalese President and Chairman of the African Union, Macky Sall extolled him on Twitter, saying that Africa “remains committed to respecting the rules of international law, the peaceful resolution of conflict and the freedom of trade.”

Similarly, the Chairman of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, in a Twitter post noted that there is “the urgent need for dialogue to end the conflict to allow peace to return to the region and to restore global stability.”

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Saharareporters, New York



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Source: Africa Is ‘Hostage’ Of Russia-Ukraine War, Food Prices Rising Unjustly – President Zelensky Tells African Union