“It’s important to mention we never use our grain as a weapon and we never use food as a weapon. On the contrary, Russia does so. Russia uses food as a weapon against those who support Ukraine,” said Subkh.
He said Ukraine provided grain based on the list of needy countries published by the UN and not based on who supports Ukraine or Russia in the conflict.
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Ukraine and Russia in June 2023 on a mission that included the leaders of Zambia, the Comoros, Congo-Brazzaville, Egypt, Senegal and Uganda as representatives of a continent that has felt the adverse economic impact of the conflict.
The delegation proposed a plan to end the war through diplomatic means, de-escalation of hostilities and the extension of security guarantees to the parties, ensuring the safety of grain and fertiliser exports from Ukraine and Russia to developing countries.
They called for Russia to go back to the Black Sea Grain Initiative and for the opening of the corridor and unhindered supplies not only to Africa, but to others that need it.
Subkh acknowledged the new destinations would help their farmers and the agriculture sector to survive under the war circumstances.
“It also opens new opportunities for co-operation. We have on several occasions said Ukraine doesn’t want to limit itself by supplying only raw materials as it has done through the past few decades.
“We want to establish joint ventures and invest in Africa. When we supply grain to Africa, people discover the possibilities that Ukraine can provide and we are keen to develop the agricultural sector in African countries.”
Subkh said African countries insisted on having Ukraine on the ground to develop their agricultural sector, bearing in mind the legacy Ukraine has in the agrarian sphere.
“We are now trying to explore those opportunities. It’s not easy to penetrate, the markets are not known to ourselves, so our goal as a ministry is to establish a consistent political dialogue with Africa starting with the gateway of Africa which is the AU and ending with concrete establishment of African embassies.”
Ukraine will establish several new embassies in Africa this year, he said.
“Flags will be flying in six embassies on the continent; once that is happening we’ll enhance our trade and economic co-operation in many spheres. We heard through many that if you want to grow you have to be on the ground and show us what you can do and we have decided not to procrastinate and rather establish those embassies in a record time.”
Embassies will be opened in Rwanda, Mozambique, Botswana, DRC, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mauritania, Tanzania and Sudan.
Ukraine has 11 embassies on the continent. Kyiv considers South Africa one of its most important partners on the continent and values its efforts in putting an end to the Russian aggression, said Subkh.
Ukraine also wants to invite South African companies, especially those which specialise in engineering and contractors to rebuild the country’s destroyed civil infrastructure. The war-devastated country is also looking to South Africa’s expertise and equipment in humanitarian demining of Ukraine territories.
Dmytro Barynov, the deputy head of the state-owned Ukrainian Seaports Authority, said the country exported 32-million tonnes of grain during the grain agreement between Russia, Ukraine and the UN and 28-million tonnes since Russia pulled out of the agreement in July 2023.
Only 8-million tonnes of grain were sent to Africa since the beginning of the war, in the main sunflower oil, sunflower seeds and corn, said Barynov.
Russia blockaded shipments from Ukraine via the Black Sea when it began the invasion.
Source: Times Live
