The war in Ukraine and its consequences thousands of kilometers away… The African continent is facing shortages of cereals imported from Russia and Ukraine. The two countries are engaged in a battle for influence in Africa, while many states have adopted a position of “non-alignment” in the conflict. In this context, Ukraine has launched a program called “Grain from Ukraine” (Cereals from Ukraine), particularly for African countries.
With our correspondent in Dakar, Charlotte Idrac
Food security was one of the main topics raised by the Ukrainian Foreign Minister during his tourin Africa, last October.
” We Ukrainians know the horror of hunger “Said Dmytro Kuleba, Monday, November 28, during an online press briefing, from kyiv, in reference to the Holodomor, the famine caused by the Stalinist regime in the 1930s. We won’t allow anyone to use hunger as a weapon he says.
“From here to Spring 2023, we plan to supply at least five million people on the African continent, as part of this humanitarian effort. Overall, Ukraine plans to ship at least sixty large vessels. Among the priority countries, our list includes Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Yemen, Nigeria and more. “, indicated Dmytro Kuleba before ensuring that “thehe country’s political support for Ukraine is not a criterion to receive this aid, citing the example of Ethiopia, which abstained in the last vote at the UN.
However, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy once again called on African countries not to stay ” neutral in the conflict.
Read also: Ukrainian cereals: African hopes dashed after the bombing of Odessa
At an international summit on food security with twenty European countries, Saturday, November 26 in kyiv. As part of this summit, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky announced that he had raised nearly $150 million from more than 20 countries and the European Union for the “Grain from Ukraine” program.
Highly symbolic. On Holodomor Remembrance Day, over 20 leaders took part in our International Summit on Food Security, both present in Kyiv & online. Discussed #GrainFromUkraine program initiated by @ZelenskyyUa to alleviate global food crisis provoked by Russia’s war on Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/UkJhSyAcsG
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) November 26, 2022