Sochi, 4 June 2022 (TDI): The President of Senegal, Macky Sall, who is also the current Chairperson of the African Union (AU) met with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia.
President Putin has invited Macky Sall to Russia for discussions. The meeting took place in the Southeast city of Sochi. Macky Sall will travel with Moussa Faki Mahamat, the President of the African Union Commission.
Je remercie le Président #Poutine pour son aimable accueil et pour notre entretien convivial en compagnie du Président @AUC_MoussaFaki de la Commission de @_AfricanUnion . pic.twitter.com/e3rTjDbYrx
— Macky Sall (@Macky_Sall) June 3, 2022
Meeting under the Context of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
The purpose of this meeting was to find a diplomatic solution to settle the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has made Ukraine’s exports get blocked.
So far, Ukraine’s Black Sea ports are still inaccessible. Such a situation has not only had negative impacts on Ukraine but also affected many countries that benefit from Ukraine’s exports.
African countries have experienced many negative effects of the war between Russia and Ukraine including food shortages. Many of Ukraine’s exports include stocks of cereal and fertilizers which many African countries depend on.
However, during the meeting, President Putin expressed his readiness to facilitate the export of Ukrainian cereals. Russia is willing to ensure the export of its wheat and fertilizer.
Along these lines, President Macky Sall called on all partners to lift sanctions on wheat and fertilizer. Previously, the Senegalese President Sall also attended the European Council Summit discussion on food security on 31 May 2022.
This meeting was virtual. President Sall emphasized that the shortage of food production has become a predicament for the African countries.
Effect of Russia-Ukraine Conflict on African Countries
Sall explained during a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Dakar at the end of May that the conflict has negative effects on Africa even though it might be on another continent.
However, he said he “condemns the invasion”. Reports from the United Nations last month state that Africa also faces a severe crisis due to other factors ranging from the Russian blockade of Ukraine to Global climate change to the pandemic.
Thus, it’s undoubtedly significant to free these ports. At the beginning of the week, Sall also pleaded with the EU leaders to help ease the crisis on crucial commodities.
Sall also said that the action of expelling Russia from the SWIFT financial messaging system will cause food shortages in the African continent.
