MOSCOW: Exports of Ukrainian grain under a deal ensuring its safe passage through the Black Sea are not helping to resolve Africa’s problems with high global food prices as only three per cent have gone to the poorest countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin told African leaders on Saturday.

The leaders from South Africa, Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, Uganda, Congo Republic and the Comoro islands met the Russian leader at the government’s 18th-century Konstantinovsky Palace in the hope of mediating in the conflict with Ukraine, after visiting Kyiv on Friday.

Putin said the food crisis had been caused by the actions of Western countries, not by what Russia calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine.

During talks with Mr Putin, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told his Russian counterpart that the conflict in Ukraine had to stop.

During talks with the Russian leader, South African President Ramaphosa says the Ukraine conflict has to end

“This war has to have an end... It must be settled through negotiations and through diplomatic means,” said Ramaphosa.

He added that his delegation “came with a very clear message: that this war has to be ended”.

“This war is having a negative impact on the African continent and indeed on many other countries around the world,” Ramaphosa said ahead of formal talks with the Russian president.

On Friday, the delegation held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

“We have come to listen to you and through you to hear the voice of the Russian people,” said Comoros President Azali Assoumani, who currently heads the African Union.

“We wanted to encourage you to enter into negotiations with Ukraine,” he said.

African countries have been divided over their response to the conflict, with some siding with Ukraine, while others have remained neutral or gravitated towards Moscow.

‘Balanced approach’

President Putin praised the African countries for their stance during the Ukraine conflict, saying “we welcome the balanced approach of African friends to the Ukraine crisis”.

The high-level diplomatic team, which went to Kyiv on Friday, hopes to bring to the table the voice of a continent that has badly suffered from the repercussions of the Ukraine conflict, including by rising grain prices.

“We are open to a constructive dialogue with all those who want to implement peace based on the principles of justice and respect for the parties’ legitimate interests,” Mr Putin said.

The delegation, which arrived in Russia on Saturday a day after talks in Ukraine, includes four presidents: South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Senegal’s Macky Sall, Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema and Azali Assoumani of Comoros, who heads the African Union.

The leaders of Uganda, Egypt and Congo-Brazzaville pulled out of the visit at the last moment and sent representatives instead.

“In Russia, we highly respect the position of African countries in support of global stability... and support their desire for a pacifist policy,” Putin said.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa laid out the 10 points of the African initiative, after Comoros President Azali Assoumani, current chairman of the African Union, told Putin: “We’ve come here to listen to you, and through you the Russian people, and encourage you to enter negotiations with Ukraine in order to put an end to the difficult ordeal.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2023