Ghana President Akufo-Addo: Africa is the greatest victim of ‘bullying’ Russia’s Ukraine war

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Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo said that the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “go far beyond the confines of Europe” and condemned Moscow’s “bullying” and “acts of aggression” in unusually frank criticism for an African leader.

“The consequences of the invasion go far beyond the confines of Europe. Indeed, in many ways, Africa has been the greatest victim,” he said.

Speaking at the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland, the president called on Russia and China to join peace talks, “if we’re ever going to arrive at a definitive settlement”.

Ghana opposes “great power hegemony and the bullying of small states by big powers. It is in this context that we view and continue to view Russia’s invasion and acts of aggression,” he said.

The president said that the invasion had impacted food security in many smaller countries. Africa is a net food importer, and has been impacted by the rise in global food prices caused by the war, according to the UN. The conflict has impacted exports from the Black Sea region, a major source of global grain, and led to increased prices for foodstuffs from other sources.

Eighty-two countries and organisations signed the meeting’s final joint communiqué on June 16, which called for the securing of Ukrainian nuclear sites, the free flow of agricultural exports from Ukraine, and prisoner exchanges