African leaders pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to move ahead with their plan to end the Ukraine conflict and to renew a deal crucial to Africa on the safe export of Ukrainian grain, which Moscow pulled out of last week. While not critical of Russia, the leaders appeared more concerted and forceful than they have voiced until now. That served as a reminder of the depth of African concern at the consequences of the war, especially rising food prices.
Speaking at the summit on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin said Russia was ready to supply six African countries with between 25,000 and 50,000 tons of grain free of charge. Unlike the previous Russia-Africa summit in 2019, attended by 43 African leaders, this time only 17 were in St Petersburg, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, who last month led an "Africa Peace Mission" of leaders from the continent.
Despite many African countries' long-held desire to remain non-aligned in the Russia Ukraine conflict, they've been dragged into the fight by big powers who are exerting pressure on the continent to take sides in the war. To look at the outcomes of this summit we are joined on the line by Professor David Monyae, Director of the Centre for Africa/China Studies at the University of Johannesburg AND Peter Fabricius, Foreign Affairs Journalist at The Daily Maverick...
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