Putin vows Russia will remain 'responsible' grain supplier to Africa

Grain supplies and strategic partnership

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday committed Moscow to maintaining its role as a grain supplier to Africa, promising deliveries on both contractual and gratuitous bases as he welcomed leaders to the closing day of the Third Russia-Africa Summit. "Russia will continue to play the role of a responsible supplier of grain crops to Africa; we will do so, as before, on both a contractual and a gratuitous basis," Putin told a news conference alongside Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye in Moscow. The Russian leader described Moscow and African nations as "natural partners in the process of shaping a new, fairer, multipolar world."

UN reform and energy cooperation

Putin stressed that Russia and Africa maintain close foreign policy coordination through bilateral and multilateral channels, including the United Nations, and that the continent should be represented permanently on the UN Security Council. "Together, we are doing everything we can to strengthen the role of African states in world affairs, and we advocate for ensuring more equitable representation for Africans within the global decision-making system, including the UN Security Council and international financial institutions," he said.

The two-day summit, which began Wednesday, addressed energy cooperation in detail, with many African leaders highlighting Moscow's contributions to developing national energy systems across the continent. Putin said Russia consistently works to meet the growing demand of African economies for hydrocarbon fuels and addresses other related needs.

"Large-scale power sector projects are being implemented with the involvement of Russian companies. This encompasses not only traditional methods of power generation but also nuclear energy," said Putin. He noted that Moscow sees significant interest from African countries in large-scale power plants and small modular nuclear reactors, and that Russia is ready for "collaborative work" on these initiatives.