African Union hails Russia-Ukraine agreement to resume grain exports

Nairobi – AFP
The African Union on Saturday hailed the agreement signed between Russia and Ukraine to resume grain exports as a “welcome development” for a continent facing the growing threat of famine.
The agreement, signed Friday in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine, calls for the creation of “safe corridors” to allow the passage of merchant ships in the Black Sea, which Moscow and Kiev pledge not to attack, according to a UN official.
The African Union indicated, in a statement, that this agreement came in response to the visit of the President of the Union, President of Senegal Macky Sall, and the Chairman of the Commission of the Union, Moussa Faki, in June to Moscow, where, during their meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, they stressed the need for the return of grain exports. From Ukraine and Russia to world markets.
The statement added: “The African Union renews its call for an immediate ceasefire agreement and the start of new political negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations for the sake of global peace and stability.”
The battles between Russia and Ukraine, two countries that together account for 30 percent of world wheat exports, have pushed up the prices of grains and oils, as well as fertilizers.
The United Nations declared that it fears a “cyclone of famine”, especially in African countries that import more than half of their wheat from Ukraine or Russia.
This comes as the Horn of Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti) faces the worst drought in 40 years, drowning at least 18 million people in hunger.