Russia Will Send 50 Thousand Tons of Free Grain Commodities to 6 African Countries

Russia Will Send 50 Thousand Tons of Free Grain Commodities to 6 African Countries.

Putin emphasized that Russia can replace Ukraine's grain commercially or free of charge

Reporter: Kamran Dikarma.

Editor : Esthi Maharani.

MOSCOW – Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said he would send up to 50 thousand metric tons of grain commodities free of charge to the six African countries most in need. This promise was made by Putin when Russia decided to exit or no longer extend the active period of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) agreement.

“I have said that our country can replace Ukrainian grain, both commercially and as grant aid, for African countries that are most in need. Even more so because we are expecting another record harvest this year,” Putin said while speaking at the Russia-Africa Summit held in St.Petersburg, Thursday (27/7/2023), quoted by the Russian news agency, TASS.

Putin also mentioned African countries that are likely to receive Russian grain commodities for free. “In the next three to four months, we will be ready to ship 25 to 50 thousand metric tonnes of grain free of charge to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Central African Republic and Eritrea respectively. We will also provide free shipping of this product to consumers," he said.

On that occasion, Putin also explained about the application of the BSGI. He revealed that since the agreement was agreed between Russia and Ukraine in July 2022, 32.8 million tons of cargo were exported from Ukraine. But Putin highlighted the fact that more than 70 percent of Ukraine's grain commodities, including wheat, go to high- and upper-middle-income countries.

Putin added that the share of countries, such as Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, only accounted for less than three percent of the total grain commodities that had been sent from Ukraine. This means that less than 1 million tons of grain reached the African countries concerned. Putin felt that this had undermined the purpose of the BSGI agreement, which was to ensure global food security and help the poorest countries, including in Africa.

Russia has refused to extend the active period of the BSGI which ended on July 18, 2023. Russia's main reason for refusing to extend the BSGI is because it feels that the provisions related to Russia's interests in the deal have not been implemented. Demands regarding the reconnection of the Russian Agricultural Bank (Rosselkhozbank) to the SWIFT payment system, for example, have not been realized. Western sanctions that prevent Russian agricultural commodities and fertilizers from entering the global market have also not been lifted.

Another reason why Russia is reluctant to extend the BSGI is because it feels that the agreement has deviated from its original purpose, namely to facilitate the delivery of food commodities to countries in need. However, Moscow considers that Ukraine is openly "commercializing" BSGI and sending its agricultural products to developed countries, especially Europe.

The active period of the BSGI has been extended three times, namely in November 2022, and March and May 2023. Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea were blockaded after Russia launched its aggression against the country in February 2022. In July 2022, Russia and Ukraine, with the help of mediation by Türkiye and the United Nations, agreed on the BSGI. The agreement was signed amid fears of a global food crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Through BSGI, Moscow provides access for Ukraine to export its agricultural commodities through its three ports on the Black Sea. In return, Moscow asked for its agricultural export operations, including fertilizers, to be exempt from Western sanctions. Russia has stated several times that the part in the BSGI regarding the exemption of its agricultural commodity exports from sanctions has not been realized. This was one of the factors Moscow wanted to leave BSGI.

source: REPUBLIKA.CO.ID

Rusia akan Kirim 50 Ribu Ton Komoditas Biji-bijian Gratis untuk 6 Negara Afrika.

Putin tegaskan Rusia bisa gantikan biji-bijian Ukraina secara komersial maupun gratis

Reporter : Kamran Dikarma.

Redaksi : Esthi Maharani.

MOSKOW – Presiden Rusia, Vladimir Putin, mengatakan akan mengirimkan hingga 50 ribu metrik ton komoditas biji-bijian gratis untuk enam negara Afrika paling membutuhkan. Janji tersebut sudah disampaikan Putin ketika Rusia memutuskan keluar atau tak lagi memperpanjang masa aktif kesepakatan koridor gandum Laut Hitam atau Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI).

“Saya telah mengatakan bahwa negara kami dapat menggantikan biji-bijian Ukraina, baik secara komersial maupun sebagai bantuan hibah, untuk negara-negara Afrika yang paling membutuhkan. Terlebih lagi karena kami mengharapkan rekor panen lainnya tahun ini,” kata Putin saat berbicara di KTT Rusia-Afrika yang digelar di St.Petersburg, Kamis (27/7/2023), dikutip kantor berita Rusia, TASS.

Putin pun menyebutkan negara-negara Afrika yang kemungkinan akan menerima komoditas biji-bijian Rusia secara gratis. “Dalam tiga hingga empat bulan ke depan, kami akan siap mengirim 25 hingga 50 ribu metrik ton biji-bijian secara gratis ke masing-masing Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Republik Afrika Tengah, dan Eritrea. Kami juga akan memberikan pengiriman gratis produk ini kepada konsumen,” ucapnya.

Pada kesempatan itu, Putin turut menjelaskan tentang penerapan BSGI. Dia mengungkapkan, sejak perjanjian itu disepakati Rusia dan Ukraina pada Juli 2022, sebanyak 32,8 juta ton kargo diekspor dari Ukraina. Namun Putin menyoroti fakta bahwa lebih dari 70 persen dari komoditas biji-bijian Ukraina, termasuk gandum,  dikirim ke negara-negara berpenghasilan tinggi dan menengah ke atas.

Putin menambahkan, pangsa negara-negara, seperti Ethiopia, Sudan, dan Somalia hanya menyumbang kurang dari tiga persen dari total komoditas biji-bijian yang sudah dikirim dari Ukraina. Artinya kurang dari 1 juta ton biji-bijian yang sampai ke negara-negara Afrika terkait. Putin merasa bahwa hal itu telah mengingkari tujuan dari disepakatinya BSGI, yakni memastikan ketahanan pangan global dan membantu negara-negara termiskin, termasuk di Afrika.

Rusia telah menolak memperpanjang masa aktif BSGI yang berakhir pada 18 Juli 2023 lalu. Alasan utama Rusia menolak memperpanjang BSGI adalah karena ia merasa ketentuan terkait kepentingan Rusia dalam kesepakatan itu tidak dilaksanakan. Tuntutan terkait penyambungan kembali Bank Pertanian Rusia (Rosselkhozbank) ke sistem pembayaran SWIFT, misalnya, belum direalisasikan. Sanksi Barat yang menyebabkan komoditas pertanian dan pupuk Rusia tak bisa memasuki pasar global juga tak kunjung dicabut.

Alasan lain mengapa Rusia enggan memperpanjang BSGI adalah karena ia merasa kesepakatan tersebut sudah melenceng dari tujuan awal, yakni untuk memperlancar pengiriman komoditas pangan ke negara-negara membutuhkan. Namun Moskow menilai Ukraina secara terang-terangan “mengkomersialkan” BSGI dan mengirim produk pertaniannya ke negara-negara maju, terutama Eropa.

Masa aktif BSGI telah diperpanjang tiga kali, yakni pada November 2022, serta Maret dan Mei 2023. Pelabuhan-pelabuhan Ukraina di Laut Hitam diblokade setelah Rusia melancarkan agresi ke negara tersebut pada Februari 2022 lalu. Pada Juli 2022, Rusia dan Ukraina dengan bantuan mediasi Turki serta PBB menyepakati BSGI. Kesepakatan tersebut diteken di tengah kekhawatiran terjadinya krisis pangan global akibat konflik Rusia-Ukraina.

Lewat BSGI, Moskow memberikan akses bagi Ukraina untuk mengekspor komoditas pertaniannya lewat tiga pelabuhannya di Laut Hitam. Sebagai gantinya, Moskow meminta operasi ekspor pertaniannya, termasuk pupuk, dibebaskan dari sanksi Barat. Rusia telah beberapa kali menyampaikan bahwa bagian dalam BSGI terkait pembebasan ekspor komoditas pertaniannya dari sanksi belum terealisasi. Hal itu menjadi salah satu faktor Moskow ingin keluar dari BSGI.

sumber : REPUBLIKA.CO.ID

Subscribe to receive free email updates: