Musings From Abroad

Again, Russia vows tons of grain for Africa after Black Sea withdrawal

Published

1 year ago

July 27, 2023

As the Russia-Africa summit continues at St Petersburg, President Vladimir Putin has promised Africa tens of thousands of tons of grain despite Western sanctions.

Russia has suffered an economic boycott from most Western countries after it invaded Ukraine in November 2022. According to him, the sanctions made it harder for Moscow to export its grain and fertilizers.

According to Russia, 49 of Africa’s 54 states—including 17 heads of state and four heads of government—sent officials to St. Petersburg.

In order to fulfill what he claimed was Moscow’s crucial role in ensuring global food security, Putin stated that Russia was prepared to replace Ukrainian grain exports to Africa on both a commercial and assistance basis.

Putin claimed that Western sanctions were put in place in retaliation for what Moscow refers to as a “special military operation”. It said the sanctions even prohibited Russia from providing free fertilizer to developing countries.

“We will be ready to provide Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Central African Republic, and Eritrea with 25-50,000 tonnes of free grain each in the next three to four months,” Putin said.

Comoros President, Azali Assoumani, who also serves as the African Union’s chair, stressed that Russia’s accusations should be taken seriously.

“I shouldn’t say that Russia is right or wrong. It acted for its own reasons; now we need to hear them in order to try to move forward.”

Another African contributor, Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa appreciated the Russian gesture even though his country already had enough to ensure its own food security.

The Russia-African summit was last held in 2019 and facilitated $12.5 billion in business deals, largely in arms and grains.

Musings From Abroad

Swiss company Mercuria partners Zambia’s IDC in new metals trading firm

Published

23 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by Swiss commodities trader, Mercuria, on Thursday, it has established a metals trading arm with Zambia, the second-largest producer of copper in Africa.

The trading unit is jointly owned by Mercuria and an arm of Zambia’s Industrial Development Company (IDC), and its purpose is to allow Zambia to engage directly in the minerals trading market.

The joint venture “envisages the establishment of a vehicle to market and trade Zambian copper by mutual leverage,” according to a statement from Cornwell Muleya, the CEO of IDC.

The southern African nation wants to increase copper output to roughly 3 million metric tonnes within the next ten years, and in 2023, it produced roughly 698,000 tonnes of copper, down from 763,000 metric tonnes the year before.

In June, the Zambian government announced that it would establish a minerals trading unit.

Investors including First Quantum Minerals and Barrick Gold are ramping up production, with output set to receive a further boost once Vedanta Resources’ Konkola Copper Mines restart activity.

“Our joint venture with IDC marks a significant milestone for Zambia as it positions itself more strategically in the global minerals market,” Kostas Bintas, Mercuria’s global head of metals and minerals, said in the statement.

Musings From Abroad

Blinken to reveal UN Sudan funding additions

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Additional financing for humanitarian aid to Sudan and initiatives to strengthen civil society in the nation, where a conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, will be announced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the United Nations on Thursday.

Blinken will make many announcements when he leads a UN Security Council meeting on Sudan on Thursday, which will centre on humanitarian aid and civilian protection, Deputy U.S. Representative to the UN Ned Price told reporters on Wednesday.

According to Price, the announcements would include more money for humanitarian help, initiatives to strengthen civil society, and the return of democracy.

“Sudan, unfortunately, has risked becoming a forgotten conflict,” Price said.

“So part of the reason the secretary … opted to convene a signature event on this very topic is to make sure it remains in the spotlight,” Price said.

For almost 18 months, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and Sudan’s army have been engaged in combat, resulting in a severe humanitarian crisis that has forced over 12 million people from their homes and made it difficult for U.N. organisations to provide aid.

A power struggle between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces preceded a planned shift to civilian administration, which sparked the conflict in April 2023.

Although the army declined to join this year’s U.S.-mediated peace negotiations in Geneva, the warring parties did pledge to increase assistance access, which prevented any movement towards a ceasefire.

Price stated that before President Joe Biden’s term ends next month, the United States would keep collaborating with allies to enhance humanitarian access in Sudan and eventually end hostilities.

“We are going to leave nothing on the field in our efforts to work with allies, with partners, with the Sudanese stakeholders themselves, on the issues that matter most – humanitarian access, the provision of humanitarian assistance, ultimately, the process by which we can work to get to a cessation of hostilities, which is most urgently needed,” he said.