Lithuanian president to discuss food crisis with African Union chair

VILNIUS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, who is currently attending the session of the UN General Assembly in the United States, will discuss the food crisis triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine with Macky Sall, President of Senegal and Chairperson of the African Union (AU).

Asta Skaisgiryte, president's adviser on foreign policy issues, told the Ziniu Radijas (News Radio) on Tuesday that a separate meeting with the chairperson of the organization, uniting 55 African countries, was important given that the voice of the union was “heard in international organizations”.

“[The president will talk] about cooperation within the framework of international organizations, including the Telecommunication Union. There is also an issue of high concern to Africans, which has become particularly acute in the context of the war in Ukraine, I mean, global food security, supply of grain from Ukraine,” she said.

The adviser noted that Russia had blocked many Ukrainian ships carrying grain from departing the Black Sea since the beginning of its invasion.

“The arrangements brokered by the United Nations and Turkey sort of allow doing that [shipping grain]. However, the Baltic countries and Poland stated prior to the signing of the agreement that grain could be transported via our territory, by land, to the Baltic Sea ports, which is exactly what was being done,” Skaisgiryte said.

Exports of Ukrainian grain and other foodstuffs as well as fertilizers were resumed from three Black Sea ports early in August under an agreement signed between Kyiv and Moscow in July and brokered by the United Nations and Turkey.