Russia FM visits Egypt, part of Africa trip amid Ukraine war

CAIRO (AP) — Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov is in Cairo for talks Sunday with Egyptian officers as his nation seeks to interrupt diplomatic isolation and sanctions by the West over its invasion of Ukraine.

Lavrov landed in Cairo late Saturday, the primary leg of his Africa journey that will even embody stops in Ethiopia, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, in keeping with Russia’s state-run RT.

The Egyptian Overseas Ministry stated Overseas Minister Sameh Shukry was holding talks with Lavrov Sunday morning.

The Russian chief diplomat was scheduled to fulfill later Sunday with the Arab League Secretary Normal Ahmed Aboul Gheit. He will even deal with the everlasting representatives of the pan-Arab group, RT reported.

Russia’s battle in Ukraine has had dire results on the world financial system, driving up oil and gasoline costs to unprecedented ranges.

Ukraine is among the world’s largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, however Russia’s invasion of the nation and naval blockade of its ports have halted shipments. Some Ukrainian grain is transported by means of Europe by rail, highway and river, however with increased transportation prices.

The battle has disrupted shipments of Russian merchandise as a result of delivery and insurance coverage firms didn’t wish to take care of Western sanctions on the nation.

African counties are amongst these most affected by ripples of the battle. The costs of significant commodities skyrocketed and billions of {dollars} in assist have been directed to assist those that fled the battle in Europe. That has left thousands and thousands of individuals in battle areas in Africa and the Center East affected by worsening rising shortages in meals and different help.

In an article posted on the Russian Overseas Ministry web site, Lavrov rejected the West accusations that Russia is accountable for the worldwide meals disaster, as “one other try and shift the blame to others.”

Searching for to rally African nations on his nation’s facet, he hailed what he known as “an impartial path” such nations took after they avoided becoming a member of the West in sanctioning Russia.

“We all know that the African colleagues doesn’t approve of the undisguised makes an attempt of the U.S. and their European satellites to realize the higher hand, and to impose a unipolar world order to the worldwide group,” he wrote within the article, which additionally was revealed in 4 African newspapers.

Lavrov’s conferences with Egyptian officers and Arab envoys in Cairo come lower than two weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden’s Mideast journey. Biden met with the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, earlier than convening a summit with the leaders of Arab Gulf nations, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq in Saudi Arabia.

Egypt, the Arab World’s most populous nation, refused to take sides because the battle in Ukraine started in February because it maintains shut ties with each Moscow and the West. Egypt is among the many world’s largest importers of wheat, with a lot of that from Russia and Ukraine.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi has cultivated an in depth private rapport with Russia President Vladimir Putin. Each leaders have strengthened bilateral ties significantly previously few years.

Lavrov’s go to to Cairo got here as Russia’s state-owned atomic vitality company, Rosatom, started final week the development of a four-reactor energy plant it’s constructing in Egypt.