African Leaders Demand Immediate Release of Russian Fertilizer Blocked in EU Ports

A group of African leaders involved in peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are urging the United Nations to take action to release 200,000 tonnes of Russian fertilizer currently blocked in European Union seaports. They have requested that the UN arrange for the fertilizer to be delivered to African countries immediately and free of charge.

This call for action was issued on Wednesday following a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin at the second Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg last week. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, President Azali Assoumani of the Comoros, Congo’s President Denis Sassou Nguesso, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah-el Sisi, Senegal’s President Macky Sall, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni and Zambia’s foreign minister Stanley Kakubo were among the leaders in attendance.

The African leaders also called for a full resumption of the Black Sea grain deal, with concrete steps being taken to eliminate barriers to Russian grain and fertilizer exports. This would allow for the full implementation of the UN Secretary-General’s Black Sea package initiative, endorsed in Istanbul on July 22, 2022.

This meeting represented the second interaction between the group of seven African leaders and Putin. Their first meeting occurred in June as part of a peace mission to Kyiv and St Petersburg, aimed at brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine.

The leaders noted the progress made since June on the humanitarian proposals discussed, particularly those related to children’s rights in regions affected by armed conflict and prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. The leaders agreed to continue humanitarian efforts to further these results.

However, despite these calls for action, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin stated last week that no discussions were currently underway to resume the Black Sea grain export deal. This deal, brokered by the UN and Turkey in July of the previous year, was designed to prevent a global food crisis by ensuring the safe export of grain obstructed by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Despite the agreement, Russia announced its withdrawal from the deal last month.