ADDIS ABABA: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat appreciated the grain export deal that Russia and Ukraine separately inked in Istanbul on Weekend  with Türkiye and the United Nations.

"The chairperson of the African Union commission commends all the parties on this successful development," Xinhua quoted a statement as saying.

The agreement, formally known as "the Black Sea Grain Initiative," was initially signed by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Hulusi Akar of Turkey, and Sergei Shoigu of Russia's defence ministry. Oleksandr Kubrakov of Ukraine's infrastructure ministry later joinly signed the agreement with the other two parties.

The head of the African Union Commission also praised Senegalese President Macky Sall, who is currently in charge of the organisation, for having called for the return of cereals from Russia and Ukraine to international markets.  According to the chairwoman, Sall's trip to Russia and Ukraine last month is thought to have contributed to the final agreement.

The world's breadbaskets, Russia and Ukraine, produce nearly one-third of the world's wheat, barley, and sunflower oil. In addition, Russia is a major exporter of raw materials for the manufacture of fertilisers.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry called on the United nation and Turkey, which mediated Friday's deal, to make sure  that Russia fulfills its commitments and allows free passage in the grain corridor.

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