Grain to Africa Initiative: Ukraine President picks Dr Fomunyoh as pioneer Ambassador!.

Revered United States-based Cameroonian-born good governance crusader, Dr Christopher Fomunyoh, has been designated by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, as one of the first leading African Ambassadors to the International Coordination Group for Prevention of Hunger, ICGPH.

The ICGPH is the latest initiative from President Zelensky’s Grain from Ukraine programme for the African continent.

The globally acclaimed democracy and good governance expert was recently chosen alongside two others from Africa by the Ukrainian leader.

This was during an ICGPH meeting held in Kyiv, Ukraine. The high-level meeting was also followed online by participants via videoconferencing.

The appointment of Dr Fomunyoh was confirmed in a release issued Wednesday January 25 by the Chief of Staff and Head of Presidential Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak.

The International Coordination Group for Prevention of Hunger, ICGPH, it should be said, is Chaired by Andriy Yermak.

It includes representatives from governments, corporations, and other patrons who can directly influence and facilitate the provision of food to millions of starving people around the world while building international support for the Ukrainian agricultural industry.

Dr Christopher Fomunyoh who doubles as Senior Associate and Regional Director for Africa at the US-based National Democratic Institute, NDI, was selected alongside the former President of Malawi, Dr Joyce Banda.

The former Malawian leader is currently serving in a number of international organisations, including her role as Executive Committee of UN Women.

Also selected was Dr Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education of Nigeria and former Vice President of the World Bank.

Dr Ezekwesili is currently serving as Senior Advisor at the Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative and Regional Director of the National Democratic Institute in Africa.

The three celebrated Africans will serve on the international high-level coordination group of President Zelensky’s humanitarian programme rolled out to protect cultivated areas, maintain production, and strengthen food supply chains as well as also work with the Ukrainian government to source international customers who can guarantee the purchase of the country’s agricultural products.

Chief of Staff unveils chosen Ambassadors

In his opening remarks during the meeting to unveil the Ambassadors, the Chief of Staff and Head of Presidential Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak said: “We welcome our African leaders and allies to the ICGPH and their support to President Zelenskky’s Grain from Ukraine programme. In times of heightened food insecurity and global inflation, Ukraine stands strong and willing to support vulnerable nations on the brink of starvation across the African continent”.

Yermak seized the opportunity to thank experts for their cooperation and support for Ukraine in implementing what he described as an important humanitarian initiative.

"We see the prospect of expanding the project. To do this, we need reliable partners with local knowledge and extensive connections," the Chief of Staff and Head of Presidential Office of the President of Ukraine said. 

Yermak added: “As part of our commitment to Africa, the Ukrainian government will also look to strengthen its diplomatic relations with the continent and advance the delivery of President Zelenskyy’s vision for a more prosperous and sustainable future for its people”.

The meeting, it should be said, was attended by a number of high-level African delegates and political leaders who have agreed to operate as Ambassadors to the Grain from Ukraine initiative.

It was also used to discuss the expansion of President Zelensky’s Grain from Ukraine initiative and the involvement of international experts familiar with the issues of the African continent in its implementation.

Enter Dr Fomunyoh

Speaking in the course of the meeting after being designated as one of the pioneer Ambassadors of the initiative, Dr Fomunyoh, who has led international election observation missions and managed democracy support programs in many countries on the African continent, stated that he and other experts together have the desire and intention to help overcome food crisis and work for the benefit of Africa.

“I reaffirm my commitment to working with you to achieve results,” said Dr Fomunyoh who has for the past decades impacted lives and communities through his private foundation, The Fomunyoh Foundation.

Dr Fomunyoh who has made impactful strides in championing peace and democracy and clamouring for the peaceful transfer of political power in Africa, seized the opportunity to express his sympathy for the people of Ukraine.

“Our hearts are full of sympathy for the people of Ukraine. We would like to express our respect to President Zelensky, the government and people of Ukraine for fighting the threat of annexation despite all the difficulties and setting an example for the rest of the world,” said Dr Fomunyoh.

It should be recalled that Dr Fomunyoh has for the past two and a half decades, through his works at the NDI, advanced the democratic process in 30 countries on the African continent.

Zoom on other African Ambassadors

For her part, Joyce Banda noted that she was proud to join the Grain from Ukraine initiative.

“We really need to support and help those countries affected by the Russian-Ukrainian war,” she said, noting that with grain shortages due to the Russian aggression, many families find it difficult to buy the necessary food.

The former President of Malawi also expressed her support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people and declared her readiness to participate in projects that will help end this war.

Oby Ezekwesili on his part noted Ukraine’s active and effective initiatives to combat the food crisis not only on the African continent, but also around the world.

“We are talking about millions of people who will receive this support. These people will suffer if they don’t have food on their table,” she said, adding that 62 million people in Africa suffer from food insecurity for one reason or another.

“That’s why we and the world really consider Ukraine as a country that, despite the war, is doing such important things to help overcome famine,” she added.

In addition to communicating with experts, the participants of the meeting discussed the results of involving international donor partners in the implementation of the initiative, improving the mechanism for receiving funds from partners, the issue of food shipment, the results of visits of Ukrainian delegations to Africa and further prospects for work on this continent.

Snapshot of the Grain from Ukraine Initiative

The Grain from Ukraine initiative was launched in November 2022 by President Zelenskyy at a Global Food Security Summit in Kyiv.

The launching was attended by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, and the Prime Ministers of Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Belgium, as well as the president of Hungary.

The fourth vessel under the Grain from Ukraine programme has just departed from the port of Chornomorsk, heading for Ethiopia which has been ravaged by famine. The vessel is carrying another 30,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat.

Another three ships have already delivered 80,000 tons of wheat from Ukraine to Ethiopia and Somalia.

According to Yermak, since the launch of initiative, more than 30 donor countries have joined the program.

There include the EU countries, Qatar, Türkiye, Japan, Norway, Korea, Canada and the United States. So far, participants have pledged nearly $200 million.

"The goal is to provide grain to at least 5 million people by the end of this spring, and this is just the beginning of a global humanitarian corridor for countries facing the threat of famine. It is because of Russia that the famine is happening," said Andriy Yermak.

The Head of the Presidential Office noted that Russia has attacked not only Ukraine but is also trying to destroy the rules-based international system via the artificial deepening of the energy crisis in Europe, nuclear blackmail and jeopardising food security for dozens of countries.

"The terrorist country put pressure on various states and blackmailed them with the threat of famine. This led not only to an increase in food prices, but also to social and political consequences in many countries," stated Yermak.

Yermak said before the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine's share in the global grain trade was 10%. Ukraine, he added, was the 4th largest grain exporter in the world, ahead of all EU member states, and provided the UN World Food Program with about 40% of wheat for countries experiencing serious food shortages.

He said Russia’s malign influence in Africa has grown at an alarming rate in recent years, with reports of Moscow taking control of gold and diamond mines in impoverished nations, providing weapons and surveillance to questionable regimes and contributing to human rights abuses against civilians.

He said Putin has long sought to strengthen the Kremlin’s influence on the continent, attempting to shore up alliances forged decades ago when the Soviet Union supported some movements fighting to end colonial rule.

The extent of its African influence operations was laid bare last March, when 25 African countries either abstained or declined to vote on the UN resolution to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Int’l Coordination Group for Prevention of Hunger in a nutshell

The group’s mission is to influence the provision of food needs of millions of people and build international support for the Ukrainian agricultural industry. Its priorities are to create evidence-based approach, with measurable and tangible results.

The ICGPH has been established to directly influence the provision of food to millions of starving people whilst building international support for the Ukrainian agricultural industry.