Addis Ababa, March 20, 2024(Addis Walta) Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has received 250,000 tonnes of wheat donated by the Russian government and 23,000 tonnes of fertilizer provided by the Uralchem-Uralkali group of Russian companies.
Russia’s ambassador to Zimbabwe Nikolai Krasilnikov said on Wednesday that the grain transfer is “humanitarian assistance”.
“Both deliveries were carried out in line with the implementation of the initiative of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to assist African countries,” Mr Krasilnikov added.
Last year Russia announced a free grain transfer program to African countries.
Aside from Zimbabwe, the program also covers Burkina Faso, Mali, Eritrea, Somalia, and the Central African Republic.
The aid comes as Zimbabwe and several other southern African countries battle food shortages due to an ongoing drought attributed to the El Niño weather phenomenon.
El Niño shifts weather patterns, leading to droughts or excessive rainfall.
The UN World Food Programme said in January that 2.7 million rural Zimbabweans require food aid.