The Russia-Africa Summit, held over two days, concluded with African leaders expressing their concerns about the termination of the grain deal with Russia and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a press conference following the summit, defended Russia’s decision to terminate the grain deal, citing its positive impact on grain prices for Russian companies. He pledged to share some of the revenues with the “poorest nations,” but provided no specific details on the distribution. Furthermore, Putin promised to send 25,000 to 50,000 tons of free grain to six African nations in the next few months, an amount dwarfed by the UN World Food Program’s previous shipments under the grain deal.
However, the commitment from Russia failed to address African leaders, concerns over the disruption in the grain supply chain and the impact on food security in the continent. The previous grain deal had significantly contributed to alleviating hunger in several African countries, making the termination a major setback.
The summit saw a noticeable decrease in attendance, with fewer than 20 African heads of state or government present, compared to 43 in the previous gathering in 2019. This decline reflected growing concerns over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, causing hesitancy among some African nations to engage with Moscow. The Kremlin attributed the low attendance to “outrageous” Western pressure, which they claimed discouraged some African countries from participating.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi were among the most vocal leaders at the summit, urging for the resumption of the grain deal. Ramaphosa emphasized the importance of the Black Sea initiative and demanded that the Black Sea remain open, stating that African nations are not seeking donations but rather seeking a viable trade partnership.
Addressing the conflict in Ukraine, African leaders proposed a peace initiative, the details of which have not been publicly disclosed. While Putin acknowledged that Russia would analyze the proposal, he questioned the practicality of implementing a ceasefire when the Ukrainian army continued to launch offensives.
The next significant step in peace efforts is expected to be a Ukrainian-organized peace summit hosted by Saudi Arabia in August. Though, Russia has not been invited to this summit, indicating the complexity and sensitivity of the ongoing conflict.
African nations constitute the largest voting bloc at the United Nations, and their divided stance on General Assembly resolutions condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine reflects the complexity of international relations involving Russia and the African continent. During the summit, various exhibits displayed weapons, underscoring Russia’s significant role as the top arms supplier to Africa.
In his remarks, Putin downplayed his absence from the upcoming BRICS economic summit in South Africa due to a controversy surrounding an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court. He asserted that his presence in Russia was no less important than attending the summit.
Despite the tensions and challenges surrounding the summit, Putin acknowledged Africa as a rising center of power in the world. The continent’s burgeoning population of 1.3 billion people presents immense economic and geopolitical opportunities.
While the Russia-Africa Summit concluded without a resolution on the grain deal and a clear path to end the war in Ukraine, it provided an opportunity for African leaders to engage with Russia and express their concerns. The coming months will be critical in assessing the impact of the grain deal’s termination on food security in Africa and monitoring developments regarding the proposed peace initiatives for Ukraine. The complexities of geopolitics and international relations continue to shape Africa’s engagement with major world powers like Russia.
