Africa Russia Grain deal: Zelensky requested a virtual meeting that would take place in secret and behind closed doors in order to win the support of the African countries. While Macky Sall, the current chair of the African Union, was being urged by Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron to gather as many heads of state representatives from the continent as he could for a meeting with the Ukrainian president.
On the day of the meeting, when Zelensky came to meet with representatives of the African Union to talk about the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe and the role of Africa in the world, he met disappointment. Out of the fifty-five heads of state that were invited, only four actually attended the meeting. The other countries refused to send their heads of state or government even if the meeting was on a virtual platform and instead sent just ambassadors or ministers.
This acted as a big embarrassment for the apple of the West’s eye and the over smart President of Ukraine. After this incident Zelensky tried to gather support from Africa once more when he sent his Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba to visit the continent. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister went on an “Anti-Russia” tour of Africa starting from Senegal followed by Ivory Coast, Ghana.
Ukraine's foreign minister on first Africa trip as Kiev seeks support https://t.co/cWcd8BzQCX
— africanews (@africanews) October 6, 2022
The FM of Ukraine had to cut short his visit and return to Ukraine when he sensed that there is no support from African countries apart from these aforementioned countries. It is also possible that the next country which he was scheduled to visit further declined to host him in their territory, forcing him to cut short his trip. He even tried to spin the narrative in Zelensky’s favor by saying—Each Russian rocket is not only hitting Ukrainians, it also harms the quality of life for Africans.
Zelenskky’s revenge
After facing a large embarrassment, Zelensky never really got the support he wanted. He is now trying to set the narrative that he cannot send grains to the Africa and middle-eastern nations as Russia has withdrawn from the UN brokered grain deal. The point here is that Russia has suspended its grain deal with Ukraine, which allowed Ukraine’s grain ships a safe passage. Ukraine supplies a huge sum of fertilizers and grains to the African and middle-eastern nations. For instance South Africa imports 70 % of its grains and fertilizers from Russia and Ukraine.
Since the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the recent grain effort has been a rare instance of cooperation between Ukraine and Russia. More than 9 million tonnes of grain in 397 ships have been able to safely depart Ukrainian ports thanks to grain deal in which Russia allowed the grain ships to cross through the Black Sea ports. According to the U.N., this grain pact has reduced global food prices by 15% from their peak in March.
Also Read: Ukraine attacks Russian ships ferrying food grains as Turkey plays the good Samaritan
But Russia withdrew from the deal citing security concerns. The noteworthy point here is that the Ukrainian ships which were allowed by Russia to transport food grains were used by Ukraine to launch an offensive against Russia in the name of naval drones. Ukraine’s launch of drones against the Russian naval fleet in the guise of humanitarian aid has now forced Russia to block any other grain or any other Ukrainian cargo containers.
The blockade by Russia in order to safeguard its fleet from Ukrainian naval drones has been labelled anti-humanitarian by the West. The Western media has started to set an agenda that it is Russia which is blocking the grain coming primarily to Africa and other nations.
This is nothing but Zelensky’s own ill-fated plan to punish the African nations which snubbed him earlier during Zelensky’s address to the UN or Ukraine’s FM’s visit to the continent. Zelensky is determined to punish the African nations by deliberately not supplying the grain and then blaming it on Russia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2jOBKIAIUo&t=2s
