Western sanctions on Russian banks have made it difficult or impossible for African countries to buy grain from Russia to help solve a global food crisis triggered by the invasion of Ukraine, the head of the African Union has told EU leaders.

Macky Sall, Senegal’s president made the complaint by videoconference at an EU summit on Tuesday, the latest sign of concern in developing countries about the economic and humanitarian impact of the Ukraine war and the surge in energy and food prices that has been exacerbated by sanctions aimed at Moscow.

“Our countries are very worried about the collateral impact of the disruptions caused by blocking the Swift payment system as a result of sanctions,” Sall said. He was speaking after the EU endorsed a sixth package of sanctions that will curb 90 per cent of Russian oil imports to the EU and added Sberbank to the list of Russian banks excluded from the Swift messaging system for financial transfers.