MOSCOW

Russian and seven African leaders on Friday called on the UN to take necessary action to release 200,000 tons of Russian fertilizer stuck on European seaports for immediate delivery to the world's second-largest continent.

In a joint statement, published on the Kremlin website, the presidents of Comoros, Congo, Egypt, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia "called for specific steps to remove obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer exports, thus allowing the resumption of the full implementation of the Black Sea package initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General as endorsed on 22 July 2022 in Istanbul."

"The Leaders also called upon the United Nations to take necessary action in order to release 200 thousand tons of Russian fertilizer blocked in European Union seaports for immediate and free delivery to African countries," it said.

They also mentioned the African peace initiative, saying it will be continued "to open a door to peace." In June, African leaders visited Russia and Ukraine in an attempt to end the war, which began last year in February.

Discussions on the peace initiative continued on the sidelines of the second Russia-Africa summit held in St. Petersburg on July 27-28.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised free grain supplies to Africa after collapse of the Black Sea grain deal.

Moscow suspended its participation in the agreement, saying some of its demands have not yet been implemented, i.e. the removal of obstacles to its fertilizer exports and the inclusion of state-owned Russian Agricultural Bank in the SWIFT international payment system.