The Chairman of regional bloc, ECOWAS, Umaro Sissoco Embalo is in Moscow, Russia for discussions on matters in the interest of the West Africa sub-region.

Chairman Embalo was welcomed in Moscow by President Vladimir Putin, Tuesday with talks regarding grain exports top of the agenda.

He commented that “he passed the message of all 15 countries representing the CEDEAO/ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), to discuss today’s situation of the war between two sister nations – Russia and Ukraine, (to discuss) not only the question of grain and wheat, but the world that is blocked.”

The world and Africa in particular has been hit with shortage of grains and wheat nearly nine months after the war between Russia and its neighbour erupted. Both Eastern Europe accounts for over 70 per cent of the world’s grain and wheat.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, at a recent visit to West African country, promised that his country would send more grain to African countries in a bid to tackle growing food insecurity on the continent.

In February, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that began in 2014. The invasion caused Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II with around 7.3 million Ukrainians fleeing the country and a third of the population displaced. It has also caused global food shortages.

The ECOWAS Chairperson, who is also the president of Guinea-Bissau drawa from the cordial diplomatic relations, which Russia’s Putin referred as long-lasting “friendly relations”, and added that he hoped to further develop trade, economic and humanitarian ties.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this year has put many African countries in an awkward diplomatic position.

Some have chosen diplomatic neutrality given the strategic partnership they share with Russia. Others like Mali have openly embraced Moscow, its invasion of Ukraine notwithstanding.