Moscow began sending grain shipments months after it withdrew from the UN-brokered Black Sea grain deal.
The country began exporting over 200,000 tons of grain free of charge, as Russian President Vladimir Putin promised.
Russian Security Council secretary Dmitry Patrushev said on Telegram that ships had already left Russia’s ports and were heading for Burkina Faso and Somalia.
CGTN’s Mohamed Kahiye has more from Mogadishu port.
In July, Putin promised free grain to six African countries after Russia pulled out of a deal that allowed Ukraine to ship grain from its Black Sea ports amid the ongoing war between the two countries.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative was not only about providing food aid to Africa but also about ensuring the flow of grain to lower-income countries across the globe.
But the European Union criticised Russia for pulling out of the deal and has called its offer of a million tons of grain to African countries a “parody of generosity.
The end of the Black Sea Grain Initiative has affected African countries and other global markets.
While the focus has been on the impact on African nations, the initiative’s cessation has broader implications.
The agreement, which allowed the flow of Ukrainian grain to global markets, was crucial for many countries beyond Africa.
The European Union was also affected, as it was a significant destination for Ukrainian grain. Additionally, the halt in the initiative has impacted the Middle East and North African countries, such as Egypt.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative played a crucial role in global food security by facilitating grain export and foodstuffs from Ukraine to various countries.
The initiative directly delivered desperately needed grains to lower-income countries, contributing to the stabilisation of critical agricultural commodity prices and helping to reverse spiking global food prices.
