Fertilizer and fuel prices have increased due to Russia-Ukraine war — Ramaphosa
The President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa has said, Russia-Ukraine must be settled.
He indicated that the war has negatively affected the African continent and must be settled through negotiation and diplomatic means.
"We firmly believe that this war must be settled and it must be settled through negotiations and through diplomatic means. A war cannot go on forever, all wars have been settled and come to an end at some stage, and we are here to communicate a very clear message that we will like this war to be ended," he stated.
Ramaphosa said this during a meeting between the African Peace Mission, comprising seven African heads of state and government and the Russian leader in St Petersburg.
The South African President added that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has a negative effect on the African continent.
“As a continent, we are being negatively affected in terms of our economies. The prices of commodities have gone up, particularly grain and fertilizer and the prices of fuel have also gone up and this is a consequence of the war that is ongoing and it is for this reason that we are also here. That is in our collective interest that the war comes to an en,” says Ramaphosa.
According to him, the mission was putting forward ten proposals to resolve the war which include the free passage of humanitarian aid, exchange of prisoners of war, opening of channels for the export of grain through the Black Sea and the need to guarantee the security of all countries amongst others.
Ramaphosa is alongside other African heads of state from Zambia, the Comoros and Senegal and heads of governments of Congo Brazzaville, Egypt, and Uganda have arrived in St. Petersburg in Russia for the second leg of the African Peace Mission to the Ukraine and Russia region..
The leaders will meet President Vladimir Putin to seek a roadmap to peace to end the 16-month long conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year claiming it wanted to demilitarise and denazify the country. However, Ukrainian forces have put up a strong fight against the much bigger Russian army.
The meeting with Putin today follows consultations yesterday with Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.