African Union Chairperson to Visit Russia, Ukraine to Discuss Grain Supply, Reports Say

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - African Union Chairperson and Senegalese President Macky Sall will soon travel to Russia and to discuss the supply of grain crops and fertilizers to the African continent, the local APS news agency reported.

“We have received authority from Africa to ask President Vladimir Putin to create conditions to allow Ukraine to export the grains and fertilizers we need, and also to discuss the possibility of lifting some sanctions against Russia so that it can trade and supply us with fertilizers,” Sall said as quoted by the news agency.

The African Union chairperson called for de-escalation in Ukraine, noting that Africa is "in the epicentre of a conflict in which it can do nothing." Sall will travel to Russia and Ukraine "in the near future."

Sall spoke on Monday at the opening of the 54th conference of African economy and finance ministers in the Senegalese town of Diamniadio. In his speech, the African Union head touched upon the situation in Ukraine and its impact on the African continent.

Ukraine and Russia account for 30 percent of global production of wheat and barley, a fifth of corn and more than half of sunflower oil, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres recalled earlier. Grain from these two countries feeds the world's poorest people. Russia and Ukraine account for more than a third of the wheat imported to 45 least developed countries, the UN chief noted.

Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics for protection against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine. Moscow has said it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia.