Expert: Egypt may become a hub for transporting Russian grain to Africa and the Middle East

Nourhan El-Sheikh, a professor of political science at Cairo University, said that Egypt may become a hub for transporting Russian grain to African countries amid the looming food crisis in the region.
This came during a discussion at the “Valdai” forum in Russia, today, Thursday.
Al-Sheikh added, “Perhaps Egypt can help to be a center for grains,” and continued, “I mean grains come from Russia to Egypt and from there to the rest of Africa, North Africa or the Middle East.”
“This requires the lifting of sanctions imposed on Moscow,” she explained.
“Russia is the most important supplier in the grain market and no other country can replace it,” she noted, adding that this makes lifting sanctions very important.
“So I think it’s very important in one way or another to respond positively to the Russian demands and lift the sanctions,” she continued.
Earlier today, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin discussed with the Egyptian Ambassador in Moscow Nazih Al-Najari ways to ensure food security in Africa and not accept unilateral sanctions.
It is reported that on May 31, Senegalese President and African Union Chairman Macky Sall said that Western sanctions against Russian banks and their disengagement from the Swift system for global payments are hampering and at times stopping purchases of food and fertilizer by many African countries, putting them on the brink of starvation.