On May 7, 2024, the Special Representative of Ukraine for the Middle East and Africa, Maksym Subkh held negotiations in the format of a video conference with the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Judith Kateera.

The Parties discussed ways to improve the level of food security on the African continent. SADC was invited to join efforts to implement point 2 "Food security" of the Ukrainian Peace Formula, which would significantly increase food supplies to African countries, alleviate the acute food crisis and save millions of lives from hunger.

On the top of that, the Deputy Executive Secretary was informed about successful implementation of the President’s of Ukraine “Grain from Ukraine” humanitarian initiative, which has covered an increasing number of recipient countries in Africa and in particular in the Southern African region.

For her part, Judith Kateera provided an update on the negative effects of climate change in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, which include drought, depletion of water resources and biodiversity, soil erosion and the reduction of areas suitable for subsistence farming.

The SADC official expressed her gratitude to the leadership of Ukraine for the decision to donate Ukrainian agricultural products to a number of African countries through UN mechanisms. She also expressed SADC's interest in the development of the long-term cooperation with Ukraine in areas of introduction of innovative technologies in agro-industrial sectors, production of hybrid seeds and fertilizers, fight against droughts, development of infrastructure, irrigation and land reclamation.

The Parties agreed to strengthen coordination to effectively counter current challenges, in particular, in food sector.