Congo president says Africa cannot stay silent on Russia-Ukraine war

Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso says he believes that Africa cannot "remain silent" in the face of the conflict in Ukraine. 

President Sassou Nguesso said this in Abidjan on Monday during the beginning of a three-day state visit aimed at strengthening cooperation ties between his country, The Republic of Congo and Ivory Coast. About 13 agreements will be signed in the fields of fishing, agriculture, livestock breeding and tourism during the state visit.

"We are all suffering the effects of these wars directly on our peoples. Inflation is rising everywhere, and we believe that Africa cannot remain silent or indifferent in the face of such a tragedy,"  Denis Sassou Nguesso, said.

The remark comes just a few days before several of the continent's heads of state, including Sassou Nguesso, are set to meet in Kiev and Moscow to mediate. It also comes as concerns grow about Russia quitting the Ukraine deal allowing the safe wartime export of grain and fertilizers from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

"It was agreed that a few heads of state, in fact one head of state per Central African sub-region plus the current President of the African Union, and that 5 or 6 heads of state could travel to Ukraine and Russia to bring a message of peace." Nguesso added.

At the end of the meeting, the Ivorian president Alassane Ouattara praised his Congolese counterpart's role as mediator on the continent. A role which, according to him, has borne fruit in the Ivory Coast by trying to reconcile past Presidents Henri Konan Bédié, Laurent Gbagbo and himself.