Russia Ready To Export Grain To Africa - Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed on Monday that his country is on the brink of finalizing a groundbreaking agreement that would enable free grain exports to six African nations. This announcement was made during a joint press conference held with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi. Speaking to the media, President Putin shared, "We are close to completing agreements with six African states, where we intend to supply foodstuffs for free and even carry out delivery and logistics for free. Deliveries will begin in the next couple of weeks." The prospect of Russia providing essential food supplies to African countries free of charge signifies a potentially transformative move in bolstering food security in the region. The details of the agreements and the specific African nations involved are yet to be disclosed. Additionally, President Putin expressed Russia's readiness to revive the Black Sea grain export deal once the restrictions on its own exports were lifted. He stated, "We will be ready to consider the possibility of reviving the grain deal... and we will do it as soon as all the agreements on lifting restrictions on Russian agricultural exports are fully implemented." This announcement comes at a crucial juncture when global food supply chains have been disrupted due to various factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and climate-related challenges. The proposed initiative by Russia has the potential to significantly contribute to alleviating food shortages in Africa and strengthening diplomatic ties between Russia and African nations. As the agreements near finalization and the logistics for grain exports are put into motion, the international community will be closely monitoring this promising development in the realm of global food security.