AU head tells Putin Africans ‘victims’ of Ukraine conflict

African Union head Macky Sall on Friday urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to take into account the suffering in African countries from food shortages caused by Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine.

Putin hosted Senegalese President Macky Sall, who chairs the African Union, at his Black Sea residence in Sochi on the 100th day of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine, with global food shortages and grain supplies stuck in Ukrainian ports high on the agenda.

Sall asked Putin to “become aware that our countries, even if they are far from the theatre (of action), are victims on an economic level” of the conflict, reports AFP.

He said it was important to work together so that “everything that concerns food, grain, fertiliser is actually outside” of Western sanctions imposed on Moscow after Putin sent troops to Ukraine on February 24.

Sall also said that due to Western sanctions “we no longer have access to grain from Russia and especially fertiliser” that is crucial for Africa’s “already deficient” agriculture.

“That really creates serious threats to the food security of the continent,” Sall added.

In his remarks in front of reporters, Putin did not mention grain supplies but said Russia was “always on Africa’s side” and was now keen to ramp up cooperation.

“At the new stage of development, we place great importance on our relations with African countries, and I must say this has had a certain positive result,” Putin added.

“Our turnover is growing,” he added. “This year, even in the first months of this year, it has grown by more than 34 percent.”

Washington and Brussels have imposed unprecedented sanctions against Moscow, pushing Putin to seek new markets and strengthen ties with countries in Africa and Asia.