Russian President Vladimir Putin pledges 50,000 tonnes of free grain to six African nations

Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged 50,000 tonnes of free grain to six African nations. The deal was made on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Summit, where the Russian leader said, “In the coming months, we will be able to ensure free supplies of 25,000 to 50,000 tons of grain to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Central African Republic and Eritrea.” Putin’s announcement comes a week after Russia halted the Ukrainian Black Sea Grain Deal that effectively blocked supplies in continents like Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. It is important to note that both Russia and Ukraine are key global suppliers of barley, wheat, corn, and sunflower oil, among other food products. Many countries have bore the brunt of depleted supplies after exports were disrupted owing to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It also sparked concerns about food security and global hunger. Ukraine used to export over 3 million tonnes of grain to several countries when the Black Sea Grain Deal was up and running. Putin to replace Ukrainian grain At the summit, the Russian president also promised to replace the grain that was exported by Ukraine to Africa. Hitting back at the West which has been criticising Russia for quitting the grain deal, Putin said that most of the grain that was exported under the said agreement had gone to high-income or above-average-income countries, including states in the EU. “A paradoxical picture is emerging. On the one hand, Western countries are obstructing supplies of our grain and fertilisers (via sanctions), while on the other they hypocritically blame us for the current crisis situation on the world food market,” he said. “We understand the importance of uninterrupted food supply for African countries. It is important for socio-economic development and for maintaining political stability on the continent," Putin continued. With inputs from agencies