Over 20 African leaders declined to visit summit in Russia over grain export blocade – UK intelligence
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - MARCH 17: A view of St. Basil's Cathedral in Red Square in Russian capital Moscow on March 17, 2020, following the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. ( Sefa Karacan - Anadolu Agency )
More than 20 African leaders did not come to Putin's summit due to Russia's pulling out from the grain deal brokered by Turkiye and the UN that ensured the safe export of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports.
The British Ministry of Defense reported on Twitter, with reference to intelligence data, that the Russian-African summit was held in St. Petersburg on July 27 and was attended only by 17 African heads of state, compared to 43 during the last summit. "The event itself took place ten days after Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative," the statement says.
This grain agreement allowed the export of 30 million tons of Ukrainian grain to Africa, providing the necessary food for such countries as Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan.
"As well as the direct disruption of supplies, Russia's blockade of Ukraine is also causing grain prices to rise," the report says. "The impact of the war in Ukraine will almost certainly compound food insecurity across Africa for at least the next two years."
Background
On July 17, Moscow announced its withdrawal from the grain agreement concluded last year in July in Istanbul. After that, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced that it would consider civilian trade ships going to Ukrainian ports as military targets.
