Senegalese President and African Union Chair Macky Sall on Thursday, June 9 urged Ukraine to demine waters around its Odesa port to ease much-needed grain exports from the war-torn country.

Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions have disrupted grain deliveries from the two countries, fuelling fears of hunger around the world.

Cereal prices in Africa – the world's poorest continent – have surged because of the slump in exports, sharpening the impact of conflict and climate change and sparking fears of social unrest.

If wheat exports do not resume from Ukraine, Africa "will be in a situation of very serious famine that could destabilise the continent", Sall told French media outlets France 24 and RFI (via The New Arab).

Russia and Ukraine produce 30 percent of the global wheat supply.

But grain has remained stuck in Ukraine's ports due to a Russian blockade, while Western sanctions on Moscow have disrupted exports from Russia.