Wheat stocks blocked in Ukraine since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, which began on February 24, will they be sent to Africa? It is in any case in this capacity that the Head of State Macky Sall went to Russia this week to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During an official meeting in Sochi, the two leaders who had already met a few years ago, were able to discuss the issue of cereals blocked in Ukraine and Russian-African relations. If Macky Sall said he was “reassured” at the end of his talks with the head of the Kremlin, wheat stocks are still blocked in Ukraine to this day. Interview with journalist Antoine Glaser, a specialist in Africa whose latest book is “Macron’s African Trap”.
TV5MONDE: Was Senegalese President Macky Sall able to convince his Russian counterpart? Are grain deliveries to Africa guaranteed?
Antoine Glaser : We will see. We are not in the secret of the Gods. But Macky Sall made rather positive statements, he said that Vladimir Putin had “reassured” him. So is there going to be an unlock? Are there going to be boats authorized to transport cereals in the Black Sea which adjoins Ukraine? Apparently there are still silos full of wheat and maize that are blocked, are they going to use boats or allow large groups of wheat traders bound for Africa to remove this wheat and these fertilizers for Africa? We will see.
TV5MONDE: What is the weight of the African Union in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict?
A.G : I think that Africa will weigh more and more. Today’s world is multipolar, and Africa takes this into account, it wants to impose itself. We saw it when there were votes at the United Nations against Russia’s war in Ukraine. While they did not openly support Russia, a number of African countries abstained and did not condemn the invasion. Especially countries like South Africa, which especially since the Cold War and Apartheid period, have an anti-colonial and non-aligned tradition.
TV5 MONDE: After the abstentions, the President of the African Union, Macky Sall, is trying to dialogue. First with Vladimir Putin, and soon with Volodymyr Zelensky. What purpose ?
A.G : It is neither the African Union nor Macky Sall who will mediate between Russia and Ukraine. But today, no expert in geopolitics, nor nobody knows exactly what will give the confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. Everything is uncertain. And new power relations are being established. We can clearly see the effects of this Russian war in Ukraine. First on oil, now on food. Will European countries endure inflation, energy and gas problems for a long time?
TV5MONDE: Why does the African Union finally want to take part in the negotiations?
A.G : We can clearly see that the African continent is the first to say that “the war in Ukraine is not our war”. This is what explains the abstentions during the votes at the UN. They also say that climatically they are always the last wheel of the carriage. They are among those who pollute the planet the least, but they are the ones who suffer the consequences of climate change. Finally, all they say is that this war in Europe is not theirs, that their problem is the risk of food riots. They remind us that their problem is really food.
Today, Africa considers itself to be still underestimated in world affairs.
Antoine Glaser, journalist and author specializing in Africa.
TV5MONDE: Is the risk of a food crisis imminent?
A.G : We are mainly talking about the wheat blocked in the silos, but there is also corn, fertilizers which are blocked and which are also very important. In North Africa, in countries like Egypt and Tunisia, there are always fears of food riots. But we must not forget that there are large countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has 90 million inhabitants, which are 70% dependent on wheat, corn and fertilizers that come from Ukraine and Russia. . This war can have an extremely important impact.
TV5MONDE: And how to avoid such a situation?
A.G : There, we see that Africa not only takes a side step, but also wants to use this war to influence world affairs. Today, Africa considers itself to be still underestimated in world affairs. I think behind this abstention from Russia’s war in Ukraine is the problem that Africa does not have enough permanent seats on the UN Security Council. It only has two seats and it is always for a term of two or three years.
This is an opportunity for Africa to show that it no longer aligns itself with the former colonial powers.
Antoine Glaser, journalist and author specializing in Africa.
TV5MONDE: Is this the reason why the African Union wants to become a privileged interlocutor in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict?
A.G : I don’t think that Africa will influence the real evolution of what is happening in Ukraine or during possible negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. I just think this is an opportunity for Africa to show that it no longer aligns itself with the former colonial powers. We can clearly see that there is support from Europe and Western countries against Russia. And Africa, for example, has chosen not to align itself with France’s position in relation to Russia and this war in Ukraine. But in my opinion it will play no concrete role in resolving the conflict.
TV5MONDE: Will the Russian-Ukrainian conflict raise the question of the African continent’s dependence on wheat and cereals produced in Europe?
A.G : Absolutely. For a continent so rich in raw materials, it is not normal to be so dependent on wheat and fertilizer. Since the start of the conflict, there have been more and more conferences and debates taking place in African civil societies. We hear that Africa depends far too much on European wheat and flour. We hear “we have exceptional cassava resources”, “there are also other products for African, local consumption”. This speech, we find it a lot among young Africans, among pro Sankara, the same one who said that it was necessary to consume African, to buy African fabrics which are made with “our own cotton”.
The only actor that has really progressed in recent years on the continent, roughly since the fall of the Berlin Wall, is really China.
Antoine Glaser, journalist and author specializing in Africa.
TV5MONDE: What effects can Macky Sall’s visit, first to Russia, then to Ukraine, have?
AG: Macky Sall’s initiative goes beyond the conflict and the war in Ukraine. It is above all a way for Africa to plant a flag in the heart of the world, saying “we also want to exist by ourselves”, “Since the end of the cold war we have been former colonial powers and now we have our own strategy, our own African integration and we also want to protect the continent from conflicts that do not concern it”.
TV5MONDE: If Africa tries to gradually break with Europe and reduce its dependence, who are the new players that could come into play?
A.G : I think today Africa is truly globalized. The only actor that has really progressed in recent years on the continent, roughly since the fall of the Berlin Wall, is really China. With the construction of infrastructures, the export of raw materials in mines and others, it is really this country which has progressed the most in terms of market share in Africa. But it is also true that on the African continent there is a kind of alliance between Russia and China. Turkey is also extremely active. We can clearly see that in the Central African Republic Russia is responsible for security, and it is China which provides infrastructure and others. At the United Nations, when there are votes or resolutions concerning the African continent or the resolution of conflicts, it is clear that China votes a lot with Russia. Africa is globalized.