At least 20 million tons of wheat which should have been exported but which are still docked in the ports of Mykolaiv and Odessa. There are mines, Russian military ships off the coast, no commercial cargo can move.
And the alternative routes, south through the Romanian port of Constanta or north by train to Poland, are not yet operational. However, as we have already said, before the war Ukraine sold half of the sunflower oil consumed in the world. 12% wheat, 15% corn. Russia also exports a lot of it, as it exports agricultural fertilizers, immobilized in the same way on the shores of the Black Sea.
WAR IN UKRAINE: SENEGAL THREATENED BY RISING WHEAT PRICEShttps://t.co/arLvKYkhwd#emedia #kebetu #iradio pic.twitter.com/PXaK3CKSCE
— emedia Senegal (@emediasn) February 25, 2022
The first victims of this blockade are the countries of the African continent, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Benin, Senegal, all very dependent on these exports, which are already experiencing shortages and rising prices. And “the worst may be ahead of usMacky Sall told European leaders this week.
It is therefore he who comes to plead the cause of Africa with the Russian president: with his cap as head of the African Union, the Senegalese president carries the voice of 54 countries. It’s not nothing.
Senegalese President Macky Sall to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a visit to Russia aimed at bringing the African voice to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict pic.twitter.com/wXh1f9Xrcx
— TRT French (@trtfrancais) June 2, 2022
In any case, it will allow him to weigh in the discussion with Moscow, just as much – or even more – than the Europeans who are also trying to obtain the lifting of the maritime blockade. Without success. Inevitably, Russia, which sees itself more sanctioned every day by the 27, is not at all cooperative.
With Africa, dialogue will be all the easier since since the start of the offensive, African countries have refused to take sides; at each of the two resolutions passed at the UN on 2 and 24 March to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, nearly half of them abstained or did not vote. Only theEritrea voted against.
Not everyone has the same interests of course, but for several years Russia has been pushing its pawns on the continent, for certain countries like the Central African Republic or Mali, it has established itself as a military and economic partner with which we cannot not get angry. Remaining non-aligned is the most logical position when one is in a situation of multidependence. At the same time, the longer the conflict lasts, the more Moscow for its part seeks to find support. This visit by Macky Sall, who for the sake of balance will also be going to kyiv, is a diplomatic opportunity for Vladimir Putin. The opportunity to show that the country is not isolated on the international scene.