Almost three times fewer leaders come to Russia-Africa conference than before; grain prices are rising – British intelligence

12:39, 28.07.2023 1 min read

The Russia-Africa conference convened in St. Petersburg on July 27, was attended by 17 African heads of state, while the previous one was attended by 43 African leaders.

"The event took place ten days after Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI)… As well as the direct disruption of supplies, Russia's blockade of Ukraine is also causing grain prices to rise. The impact of the war in Ukraine will almost certainly compound food insecurity across Africa for at least the next two years," the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's Department of Defense said on Twitter on Friday morning.

However, it is noted that the Black Sea Grain Initiative had allowed the export of 30 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to Africa, providing essential food supply to such states as Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan.