The grain shipments were distributed as follows: 50,000 tonnes each to Somalia and the Central African Republic, and 25,000 tonnes each to Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, and Eritrea.
President Putin made the promise during a summit with African leaders in July, shortly after Russia withdrew from the Black Sea grain initiative deal with Ukraine. The initiative allowed Ukraine to ship grain from its Black Sea ports, contributing to lower global market prices. However, Putin argued that the deal was ineffective in providing urgent supplies to countries in need.
Patrushev informed Putin during a meeting that Russia's efforts to build and maintain relations with African countries facilitated the swift delivery of the promised wheat volume. Additionally, he shared Russia's projection to export up to 70 million metric tonnes of grain in the 2023-2024 agricultural year, which began on July 1, 2023, and will conclude on June 30, 2024. In the previous season, Russia shipped 66 million tonnes, valued at almost $16.5 billion.
This initiative showcases Russia's commitment to supporting African nations through agricultural cooperation and addressing global food security challenges.
