Russia has commenced free shipments of grain, totaling up to 200,000 tonnes, to six African countries as promised by President Vladimir Putin in July.
The Agriculture Minister, Dmitry Patrushev, announced that ships bound for Burkina Faso and Somalia have already departed Russian ports, and additional shipments to Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Mali, and the Central African Republic are imminent.
Putin pledged to provide free grain to these countries during a summit with African leaders, following Moscow’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain initiative, a deal that permitted Ukraine to export grain from its Black Sea ports despite the conflict with Russia.
The initiative aimed to lower global market prices, but Putin argued that it failed to reach countries in urgent need.
Last year, Russia exported approximately 60 million tonnes of grain. The recent deliveries are part of Putin’s commitment to supporting these nations, but the move has been described by UN Chief Antonio Guterres as “a handful of donations.”
Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain initiative has led to tensions, with Ukraine accusing Russia of bombing its ports and grain storage facilities, causing significant damage.
However, Ukraine reported successful shipments of cargo, including 3.2 million tonnes of grain, through a new shipping corridor established in August.
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