Macron, in Cameroon, says food is Russian weapon of war

YAOUNDE, July 26 (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron explained the international foods crisis as a single of Russia’s “weapons of war” through a take a look at to Cameroon on Tuesday, dismissing tips Western sanctions ended up to blame.

Cameroon, like several building nations, is grappling with sharp improves in costs for oil, fertiliser and foodstuffs. Serious gas shortages hit the capital Yaounde final 7 days foremost to extended queues at petrol stations.

Macron is on a 3-leg tour of Africa, a journey intended to reinforce political ties with the continent and help raise agricultural creation amid the escalating foods insecurity joined to the war in Ukraine.

African governments have mostly averted getting sides and refused to sign up for Western condemnation and sanctions.

At the identical time, anti-French sentiment is soaring in France’s previous West African colonies, the place protection fears following a string of coups are stoking frustration and swinging public viewpoint in favour of Russia.

“We are blamed by some who say that European sanctions (on Russia) is the trigger of the earth food stuff crisis, such as in Africa. It is fully bogus,” Macron reported during a meeting with the French local community in Cameroon.

“Food, like energy have grow to be Russian weapons of war … We must aid the African continent to create far more for by itself,” Macron said.

Many African nations are dependent on Russian grain and energy, but they also acquire Ukrainian grain that has been disrupted by the conflict.

Moscow denies responsibility for the foodstuff crisis, blaming Western sanctions for slowing its food and fertiliser exports and Ukraine for mining the ways to its ports.

Cameroon, a mineral-rich central African nation, is a major meals producer for the region and Macron’s delegation will find investment decision options in the agricultural sector by means of a Food stuff and Agriculture Resilience Mission initiative released in March with the African Union to enhance foodstuff manufacturing.

Macron’s fulfilled 89-12 months-previous President Paul Biya who has dominated Cameroon for practically 40 decades. The conference arrives just after a period of time of strained relations next Macron’s reviews in 2020 that he will put “optimum tension on Paul Biya” to set an close to human legal rights violations in the nation.

The governing administration denied the allegations at the time.

Questioned in the course of their information meeting if he planned to seek out one more time period in 2025, Biya mentioned his choice to “seek a further or return to his village” would be acknowledged at the conclusion of this phrase.

The trip – Macron’s initially in Africa considering the fact that his re-election in April – coincides with visits by Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Particular Envoy for the Horn of Africa Mike Hammer to different nations across the continent. examine a lot more

Macron heads to Benin on Wednesday and Guinea-Bissau on Thursday.

Reporting by Sofia Christensen More reporting by Sophie Louet in Paris Modifying by Bate Felix and Alison Williams

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