Rwandan President Paul Kagame has lamented the effects of the Ukraine conflict on Africa, declaring that the continent desires world peace.
On Tuesday, Kagame spoke at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, as chairperson of the African Union Development Agency’s (Nepad) Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee.
The setting was ideal for Kagame to say: “I commend the attention given to the priorities that matter to small and developing countries, including coping with the effects of the war in Ukraine and other crises.” The conference was held under the theme “Recover Together, Recover Stronger.”
Parts of Africa, particularly central and southern Africa, are currently experiencing or preparing for cropping seasons.
But the war in Ukraine has resulted in a shortage of fertiliser, which is mostly procured in Ukraine and Russia. This has led to a spike in the price.
One of the single most notable compromises to help alleviate this crisis this week was the release of a Russian fertiliser cargo which had been detained for months in the port of Rotterdam because of sanctions.
It’s now on its way to Malawi, one of southern Africa’s most food-insecure countries.
The 20 000 tons of fertiliser belong to a Russian who’s been on the United States sanctions list since the start of the war in Ukraine. However, he will not benefit from the cargo that’s now under the radar of the World Food Programme (WFP).
Since the start of the war, a number of African countries have been sitting on the fence, choosing not to vote against Russia or outright support the invasion.
It’s a diplomatic approach that seeks to please both sides of the divided world. But Kagame said Africa should not be blamed for allegedly taking sides.
He said:
Kagame also highlighted that Africa had specific challenges, made worse by external factors such as the war in Ukraine, and that “too often our people are left to pay the price”.
Climate change, the war in Ukraine, and conflicts in Africa are the major drivers of the widening gap between developing and developed countries. This has led to even more debt for the continent.
Kagame pleaded with the G20 to reintroduce debt write-offs, and for more support from the International Monetary Fund through its Resilience and Sustainability Trust.