Zelensky: Ukraine is looking forward to a greater diplomatic presence in Africa

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today, Friday, that Kyiv will strengthen its presence in Africa next year by opening ten new embassies and strengthening its trade relations with the countries of the continent.

Ukraine is now trying to rally African nations to its cause while confronting the Russian military, and hopes to do so in part by promoting the Humanitarian Pills initiative to alleviate hunger in highly vulnerable countries.

A Russian blockade of Ukraine's agricultural exports across the Black Sea caused global shortages of grain and fertilizer earlier this year, putting millions of lives at risk, before a United Nations-brokered deal eased the blockade somewhat in July.

"We are repairing our relations with dozens of African countries. We will need to strengthen these (relations) next year," Zelensky told a gathering of diplomats in Kyiv.

Besides opening new embassies for his country in Africa, Zelensky said Ukraine also aims to establish commercial representation offices in several major centers on the continent, in which he said "Ukraine's interests are less represented than it should be so far."

Zelensky did not specify the countries in which these embassies or trade offices would be established, but he made it clear that he would like his country to have representation in 30 African countries eventually.

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