JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – African leaders could propose a series of “confidence building measures” during their initial efforts to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, according to a draft framework document seen by Reuters on Thursday.
Senegal’s President Macky Sall and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa are heading a delegation including leaders from Zambia, the Comoros, and Egypt’s prime minister that will travel to Kyiv on Friday and St. Petersburg on Saturday.
They are expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The framework document, which has not been made public, lists a number of measures that could be proposed by the African leaders as part of the first stage of their engagement with the warring parties.
Those measures could include a Russian troop pull-back, removal of tactical nuclear weapons from Belarus, suspension of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant targeting Putin, and sanctions relief.
The list also includes an “unconditional grain and fertilizer deal”.
African countries have been hit hard by the fallout from the war, which has disrupted supplies of grain and other food supplies, aggravated food price inflation and worsened existing hunger crises on the continent.
“The above-mentioned measures should aim to facilitate the creation of an environment conducive for a ceasefire, and that will allow the parties to build trust and to consider formulating their peace restoration strategies,” the document said.
A cessation of hostilities agreement could follow and would need to be accompanied by negotiations between Russia and the West, the document stated.
(Reporting by Johannesburg Newsroom; Writing by Joe Bavier and Olivia Kumwenda-Mtbambo; Editing by Mark Potter)
