African country seeks Russian grain   

Zimbabwe is interested in supplies of Russian grain and fertilizers, the country’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa told reporters on Thursday. 

Speaking at the second Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg, the leader of the Southern African country also said that Harare is seeking Moscow’s assistance in the modernization of its key agricultural sector.   

“Zimbabwe is a developing country with a predominantly agricultural economy. We seek to modernize and mechanize our economy. The Russian Federation has such opportunities. Therefore, we want to start cooperation at this level, this will allow us to ensure our food security,” Mnangagwa stated.   

Russian trade ties with African countries have been strengthening in recent years. In 2019, Russia hosted the first Russia-Africa Summit, with participants outlining priority areas for economic cooperation, security, culture and science.   

Russian Minister of Natural Resources Alexander Kozlov announced in June that Zimbabwe had suggested that Moscow ramp up wheat deliveries and start sunflower-oil and petroleum-product exports to the country.   

In March, the speaker of the Zimbabwean ruling party ZANU-PF, Christopher Mutsvangwa, called for the central banks of Russia and Zimbabwe to establish settlements in local currencies and consider opportunities for securing trade in gold reserves. He added that “nothing could derail” trade between Moscow and Harare, noting that China, India, and Middle Eastern nations were also moving towards abandoning the US dollar in settlements.

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