The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has pledged to send grain and fertilizer to some of the world’s least developed countries, especially those in Africa, as part of the agreement for the departure of ships from Ukrainian ports, according to Sputnik.

“We will make sure that ships with grain reach all countries in need, starting with Somalia, Djibouti, and Sudan, which are experiencing problems because of a severe food crisis and famine,” he said, speaking at the MÜSIAD Expo 2022 in Istanbul, according to Daily Sabah News.

Erdogan has revealed that during a conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, Putin conveyed to him the need to “send duty-free grain” to these countries. “On this issue, we are on the same page,” he said, as reported by the Turkish state news agency Anatolia.

The Turkish president also slammed the mentality of perceiving Europe as “a garden” while the rest of the world is “a jungle,” in an apparent reference to the statements made by the European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell.

“We do not expect those who carry out colonialism using new ways and methods to have a conscientious attitude in the face of crises,” Erdogan commented, after Borrell claimed in October that “most of the rest of the world is a jungle, and the jungle could invade the garden.”

“The gardeners have to go to the jungle. Europeans have to be much more engaged with the rest of the world. Otherwise, the rest of the world will invade us,” Borrell said – statements for which he later apologized, according to EFE.

On 19 October, the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, received a phone call from Josep Borrell following his racist remarks.

During the phone conversation, the two head officials discussed the importance of promoting the values ​​of tolerance, pluralism, respect, and ensuring peaceful coexistence in the world, according to the Emirates News Agency.

The Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation described Borrell’s comments as racist and said they contributed to a worsening climate of intolerance and discrimination worldwide.

Bin Zayed emphasized the close relationship between the EU and the UAE in their efforts to enhance and develop close and mutual cooperation in various fields.