The Russian minister of agriculture announced on Friday that the country had shipped its first grain donation to Africa, as President Vladimir Putin pledged in July.
Minister Dmitry Patrushev reported that two of the free grain shipments have already left for Burkina Faso and Somalia, while Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Mali, and the Central African Republic will receive their donations soon, Reuters reports.
“I have already said that our country can replace Ukrainian grain, both on a commercial basis and as grant aid to the neediest African countries, more so since we expect another record harvest this year,” said Putin in July per VOA, speaking at the opening session of a two-day Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg.
“Our country will continue supporting needy states and regions, in particular, with its humanitarian deliveries,” the Russian president added. “We seek to actively participate in building a fairer system of distribution of resources. We are taking maximum efforts to avert a global food crisis.”
The grain shipments to the six African nations will total 200,000 tons and are expected to be delivered by the end of 2023.
The move was heavily criticized under the pretense that global food prices, as well as fertilizer, were surging because of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Bloomberg reports.
The grain donation pledge seemed to strike dissatisfaction with the West, as National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told VOA, “I hope he tells them, ‘I’m the reason why the food prices are volatile. I’m the reason why you’re going to have more problems with starvation, and with access to food and grain in your countries.’”
