Russian president Vladimir Putin receives African partners in St. Petersburg at Russian-African summit

Russian president Vladimir Putin receives African partners in St. Petersburg at Russian-African summit amid concerns over Moscow's abandonment of grain export agreement with Ukraine.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed his African counterparts in St. Petersburg as part of the Russian-African Summit, amid apprehensions among African nations following Moscow's withdrawal from an agreement that allowed the export of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain.

Despite facing international isolation since launching its military attack on Ukraine in 2022, Putin still retains support from many African countries or at least their neutrality.

In a welcome message to the summit participants, posted on the Kremlin's website on Wednesday, Putin stated his intention to continue developing cooperation with African nations.

The summit in St. Petersburg, the former imperial capital, is expected to be attended by delegations from 49 African countries, including 17 heads of state, notably South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. This is despite "unprecedented pressure" exerted by Western countries, according to the Kremlin, to discourage African leaders from attending.

The South African presidency stated in a Wednesday statement that they will discuss measures with Putin to create "favorable conditions for the path towards peace between Russia and Ukraine."

During this second edition of the summit, following the first in 2019, Putin will hold bilateral talks with several leaders and also address the general session.

According to his diplomatic adviser, Yuri Ushakov, the Russian President will deliver a "major speech" outlining his vision for Russian-African relations and "the shaping of a new global system."

The hot topic at the summit will be Moscow's abandonment of a crucial agreement in summer 2022, which allowed Ukraine to export its grains, including to Africa, through the Black Sea, despite Russia's blockade of Ukrainian ports.

In just one year, this agreement facilitated the transportation of approximately 33 million tons of grain from Ukrainian ports, helping stabilize global food prices and avoiding the risk of shortages.

In recent days, Russia has tried to reassure its African partners, stating that it understands their concerns on this issue and expressing readiness to "donate" its grains to countries in dire need.

For Moscow and its partners, "finding common ground and explaining perspectives (...) on current issues, such as the grain agreement, for example, is essential," according to Fyodor Voytolovsky, an expert at the Institute for African Studies at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, as he told AFP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP