Russia has announced a plan to transport one million tons of grain to impoverished African countries through Turkey, with financial backing from Qatar. This ambitious initiative involves selling the grain to Turkey at a reduced price and then processing it for onward shipment to Africa.
According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko, the plan has received preliminary approval, and all parties involved will soon begin working on the technical aspects of the operation.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed cautious optimism about this plan. He had initially proposed the idea after Russia suspended the Black Sea Grain Corridor agreement in July. However, Turkey emphasized that its priority is the reinstatement of the Black Sea Grain Corridor agreement.
The Suspension Of This Agreement, Brokered By Turkey And The United Nations
The suspension of this agreement, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations (UN) in July of the previous year, was attributed to obstacles faced by Russia in exporting its own grain and fertilizer due to Western sanctions. Moscow asserted that a significant portion of the Ukrainian grain exported under the agreement ended up in developed countries and European Union (EU) nations. Russia’s new plan aims to provide its grain to needy African nations either for free or at reduced prices.
President Erdoğan discussed the plan with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Sochi on September 4. They also explored the UN’s proposal for Russia’s re-entry into the Black Sea Grain Corridor agreement. President Erdoğan expressed hope for a swift and positive outcome from these discussions.
Regarding Russia’s proposal to send one million tons of grain to African countries, President Erdoğan stated, “Mr. Putin informed us that they are fully prepared to send this one million tons of grain to economically disadvantaged countries. They have completed all logistical preparations. We, as Turkey, are ready to do our part, including processing the grains in our mills and sending them as flour to impoverished African nations. We have reached an agreement on these matters.