Russia, Senegal, and AU: G7 and EU sanctions leading to food insecurity
Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
President Macky Sall of Senegal is also the current Chairman of the African Union (AU). He met with President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation to discuss the repercussions of the European Union (EU) and G7-inspired sanctions against the Russian Federation – which have been encouraged by President Joe Biden of America.
The African Union Commission chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, also attended. He spoke strongly about the potent relations between Africa and the Russian Federation (part also is the legacy of the Soviet Union). Mahamat said the “historical, strong fraternal relations” between Africa and Russia are continuous.
All parties to the talks discussed the conflict – and the repercussions unfolding because of sanctions. This concerns the war in Ukraine and the Donbas region – where Russian Federation forces are protecting Russians and Russian speakers (several other ethnic groups) in the Donbas region from the Ukrainian military attacks.
Sall said, “Sanctions against Russia worsened the situation with grain and fertilizer supplies to African countries. We have no access to them. This entails consequences from the standpoint of the continent’s food security.”
He continued, Senegal “supports the release of grain and fertilizers from anti-Russian sanctions.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa recently said, “Even those countries that are either a bystander or not part of the conflict are also going to suffer from the sanctions that have been imposed against Russia.”
The Guardian reports (Simon Jenkins), “This blockade has seen cereal prices rise 48% on their 2019 base, devastating markets, particularly across Africa. This in turn has increased the value of Russia’s own massive grain exports. Russia has offered to lift the blockade if sanctions are lifted. Whether it means this is moot, but the west cannot be blind to the unintended consequence of its sanctions war.”
The Russian Federation asked for genuine talks with America and for NATO powers to respect the geopolitical concerns of this nation. However, political elites in America under Biden showed little concern about listening – nor addressing – the concerns of the Russian Federation. Instead, more military weapons were sent to Ukraine – along with a mega propaganda campaign at the political and media level – to entice the crisis to reach a new level.
Ports under the control of the Russian Federation are open to supply Ukrainian grain – declared Putin.
The leader of the Russian Federation said, “We will support peaceful carriage, we guarantee the security of approaches to these ports, we will support the call of foreign vessels and their traffic in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea in any direction.”
The arrogance of EU elites and G7 nations knows no boundaries. At no point did they put sanctions on America or the United Kingdom – and other nations – for countless wars (from Vietnam to Iraq and many other wars). Also, they know that poorer members of society are suffering in their own nations. Therefore, what do they expect is happening to poorer nations in the Sahel region and other parts of the world?
However, they care little – instead, even after economies took a huge hit from the Covid-19 crisis, the EU elites and G7 nations abided by the main instigator (President Biden of America) to impose sanctions irrespective of the international convulsions that await poorer nations.
Sanctions need to end while international diplomacy is needed. Also, NATO needs to acknowledge the genuine concerns of the Russian Federation – where spheres of interest must be enforced so that a wider war doesn’t result.
The way ahead is complex because Russians and Russian speakers opposed to Ukrainian nationalism in the Donbas region – and adjacent areas – need to have their voices heard. Something that isn’t happening at the moment.
Instead, EU and G7 nations are intent on bloodshed under the guidance of America – with Japan and the United Kingdom being open mouthpieces of Russophobia.
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