MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. Russia will continue to send food and fertilizer supplies to African countries, even despite the sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his article ahead of the second Russia-Africa Summit to be held in St. Petersburg on July 27-28.
"Despite the sanctions, Russia will continue vigorously working toward organizing grain, food, fertilizer and other supplies to Africa," Putin wrote. "We highly value and will further develop the full spectrum of economic ties with Africa - with individual states as well as regional integration associations and, naturally, with the African Union," the Russian leader assured the audience of the leading media on the African continent in his article, "Russia and Africa: Joining Efforts for Peace, Progress and a Successful Future."
According to Putin, Russia understands the importance of uninterrupted food supplies for Africa’s socio-economic development and political stability. "On this basis, we have always paid great attention to issues related to the supply of wheat, barley, maize and other crops to African countries. We have done so both on a contractual basis and free of charge as humanitarian aid, including through the United Nations Food Programme," he noted.
In 2022, Russia exported 11.5 million metric tons of grain to Africa, and almost 10 million metric tons were delivered in the first six months of 2023 - "despite the sanctions imposed on our exports, which severely hamper the supply of Russian food products to developing countries, complicating transport logistics, insurance arrangements and bank payments," Putin lamented.