Polish president visits Egypt hoping to unblock Ukrainian grain exports

Polish President Andrzej Duda is visiting Egypt to fulfill along with his counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi within the hope of discovering a strategy to export grain from Ukraine amid Russia’s blockade. Fears of worldwide meals shortages have been rising, with Egypt significantly uncovered to them.

After his arrival yesterday, Duda introduced that Ukraine’s “President [Volodymyr] Zelensky requested me to boost some points vital to Ukraine in my conversations with the president of Egpyt”. Per week earlier Duda visited Zelensky in Kyiv.

Polish deputy international minister Paweł Jabłoński famous that the talks with Sis could be “devoted, amongst different issues, to meals safety and worldwide stress on Russia to unblock grain exports from Ukraine”.

Ukraine is likely one of the world’s largest exporters of grain, together with to many markets within the Center East and Africa. Earlier than Russia’s invasion, round 20% of Egpyt’s wheat imports have been from Ukraine (with an additional 60% from Russia itself).

Nevertheless, with Russia blockading Ukrainian ports and sanctions making commerce with Russia tougher, grain exports from each nations have suffered. That has led to rising costs and fears of world meals shortages.

Poland, which has been certainly one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters, has been in search of to facilitate Ukrainian grain exports, together with by prepare by way of Poland. Final week Egypt’s commerce minister, Ali Moselhi, revealed that Egypt had contracted 4 cargoes of wheat by way of this route, reported Al-Monitor.

Nevertheless, Polish ports have restricted capability for coping with Ukrainian grain exports, and worldwide efforts are underway to discover a strategy to permit exports to renew by way of Ukrainian ports.

Vladimir Putin advised Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz in a name on Saturday that he was “prepared to assist discover choices for the unhindered export of grain, together with the export of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports”. However he indicated that this must contain the removing of some sanctions on Russia.

Duda’s deputy chief of employees, Piotr Ćwik, additionally famous that “one of many vital subjects” to be mentioned in Cairo could be the opportunity of starting exports of Egyptian liquefied pure fuel (LNG) to Poland.

For years, the Polish authorities has been in search of to cut back its reliance on Russian power, together with by way of elevated LGN imports from america and Qatar. These efforts have been lent additional urgency final month when Russia abruptly minimize off its fuel exports to Poland over Warsaw’s refusal to pay in roubles.

Throughout his go to – the primary by a Polish president since Lech Wałęsa in 1992 – Duda will open the Polish-Egyptian Financial Discussion board and likewise meet with the pope of the Coptic Orthodox church, Tawadros II, and the grand imam of al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb.

Predominant picture credit score: Jakub Szymczuk/KPRP