Russia To Deliver Free Fertilizer To Kenya And Nigeria

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said Friday that Moscow is preparing two shipments of fertilizers to be delivered free of charge to Kenya and Nigeria.

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Speaking to Russia 24 TV, the diplomat said the country has already sent 20 000 tons of its fertilizers to Malawi over a six-month period. This is the only shipment delivered, although Moscow has offered to donate 262 000 tons of fertilizers blocked in European ports to poor countries.

On this occasion, the Deputy Foreign Minister denounced the Western sanctions affecting the country's agricultural exports, with implications for payments, insurance, and shipping. 

In this regard, Vershinin brought up the Black Sea Grain Initiative, stating that its expansion depends on the resolution of the problems blocking the access of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers to the world market.

Referring to the conditions Russia sets for the extension of the Istanbul grain deal, the Russian diplomat stressed, "reconnection of the Rosselkhoznadzor to SWIFT, resumption of spare parts supply and maintenance of agricultural machinery."

In addition, Vershinin mentioned the "reinsurance of agricultural goods and lifting of the ban on their access to ports, lifting of sanctions on Russian companies and their owners engaged in food and fertilizer production." 

The grain deal was negotiated last July by the UN and Türkiye to ship agricultural products from Ukrainian Black Sea ports amid Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. 

Russia agreed in March to a 60-day extension of the agreement, which was due to expire on May 18. However, its suspension is feared due to the West's failure to fulfill its part of the agreement on maintaining barriers to the export of Russian grain and fertilizers.