Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev said that Burkina Faso, Mali, Eritrea, and Zimbabwe each received 25,000 tons of grain while the Central African Republic and Somalia got 50,000 tons each, according to Russian state news agency. Shortly after backing out of a crucial deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey that enabled the export of Ukrainian grain, Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged free grain exports to Africa during a summit with some of its leaders in St. Petersburg last year. This move aimed to strengthen support from leaders on the continent amidst a series of sanctions from the West. The Kremlin’s grain initiative has been described by analysts as a “strategic” move as Putin’s African alliance broadens.
SOURCE: CNN
