Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pointed out that Africa is "hostage" in the war with Russia, which has contributed to rising food prices on the continent. African countries have been sharply affected by the escalating crisis that has caused significant increases in the prices of grains, cooking oils, fuel, and fertilizers.
Russia and Ukraine account for about a third of global wheat supplies, while Russia is a major global exporter of fertilizers, and Ukraine is a primary source of corn and sunflower oil. In a speech to African Union leaders, Zelensky stated that the continent is trapped in a crisis not of its own making.
In a virtual address to the African Union headquarters, he said, "I am speaking to you amid an emergency we are in during a war. An emergency for the entire world, where Africa is effectively held hostage. A hostage to those who started the war against our country."
Zelensky said, "This war might seem very distant from you and your countries. But the increases in food prices have catastrophic effects that have already reached millions of African households." In early June, Senegalese President Macky Sall stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin had informed him he was ready to allow the export of Ukrainian grain to alleviate a global food crisis hitting Africa particularly hard. Sall, who is also the Chairperson of the African Union, tweeted after Zelensky's speech that the continent remains committed to upholding international law, peacefully resolving conflicts, and free trade.
