African leaders are gathering in St. Petersburg for a summit where they will seek concrete promises on grain supplies from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The summit comes shortly after Putin’s decision to quit the Black Sea agreement, which had allowed Ukraine to export food from its southern ports despite the ongoing conflict.
As a result, global grain prices have risen around 20%, causing concern about food insecurity in African countries heavily reliant on grain imports. Putin has assured African leaders that Russia is ready to fill the gap by supplying grain commercially and for free, although analysts believe only symbolic amounts will be dispersed as aid.
While 49 African delegations will take part in the summit, only 17 heads of state will attend, down from 45 in the previous event in 2019.
The West has been accused of trying to sabotage the summit by dissuading leaders from attending. In addition to grain supply discussions, some African countries are expected to seek information from Putin about the future of the Wagner mercenary group, which provides security assistance in countries like the Central African Republic and Mali.
The United States has recently imposed sanctions on Malian officials for their alleged association with Wagner.
Beyond grain and security matters, some African leaders plan to discuss an African peace initiative for Ukraine. However, it remains uncertain whether the proposal will gain traction, as Putin has responded by repeating accusations against Ukraine and the West.
Ukraine believes a ceasefire now would only solidify Russian territorial gains and provide Putin’s forces with an opportunity to regroup. As the summit progresses, African leaders hope to address pressing issues while navigating geopolitical complexities.