15 minutes agoUkraine's president says Africa is “hostage” of Russian aggression
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)Ukraine's president, Voldymyr Zelensky, said on Monday that Africa was a <x0-venging” of Russia's war in his country, which has brought global food shortages and price hikes on the African continent. African countries are deeply affected by the crisis, which has increased the prices of cereals, cooking oils, fuels and [...]
Ukraine's president, Voldymyr Zelensky, said on Monday that Africa was a <x0-venging” of Russia's war in his country, which has brought global food shortages and price hikes on the African continent.
African countries are deeply affected by the crisis, which has increased the prices of cereals, cooking oils, fuel and chemical waste.
Together, Russia and Ukraine export almost a third of the world's wheat and barley, over 70 percent of sunflower oil, and are large corn suppliers. Russia is the world's largest producer of agricultural waste.
World food prices have only increased, and war has made matters worse, preventing some 20 million tons of Ukrainian cereals from being exported to the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
In a speech to the leaders of the African Union, Zelenskiy said that the continent was in this situation, not for internal causes.
I'm heading to a state of emergency when we're at war. In an emergency for the whole world, when Africa is actually being held hostage. The hostage to those who started the fight against our state”, Zelenskiy said in a video speech at the African Union Assembly Bureau.
This war may seem too distant for you and your countries. But the catastrophic increase in food prices has already brought it to the homes of millions of African families. ”
Moscow rejects allegations that it is deliberately blocking grain exports from Ukraine and says the global increase in food and fuel prices is due to Western sanctions imposed on Russia following the 24 February invasion, which it calls a “military special operation”.
At the beginning of June, Senegal President Macky Salll said Russian President Vladimir Putin had told him he was ready to enable the export of Ukrainian wheat to alleviate the global food crisis that was particularly hitting Africa.
On Monday, Sal, who is also chairman of the African Union, said on Twitter after Zelenskiy's speech that the continent remained committed to respecting international law, peaceful resolution of conflict and free trade.
