PRETORIA, July 19. /TASS/. The African Union regrets the suspension of the Black Sea grain transportation deal and urges to resume the delivery of grain and fertilizers from Russia and Ukraine to global markets, African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said.

"I regret the suspension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative for which the African Union had been an early advocate," the official wrote on Twitter. "I urge parties to resolve any issues to resume the continued safe passage of grains and fertilizer from Ukraine and Russia to where it is needed, particularly in Africa."

A package of documents geared to resolve the problem of food and fertilizer supplies on global markets was signed on July 22, 2022 in Istanbul and extended several times since then before ultimately expiring on July 17. Russia refused to extend it again because the part of the deal envisaging the removal of obstacles for Russian agricultural exports has never been implemented. Apart from that, Moscow has repeatedly stressed that the bulk of grain that was meant to be supplied to the poorest counties was shipped to Western countries. Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is ready to resurrect the deal but only after its part related to obligations to Moscow is fulfilled.