In this month of July, in le Monde d’avance, we are interested in the new diplomatic situation born of the war in Ukraine. Thursday, July 28, close-up on Africa, the first collateral victim of this conflict.
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On March 2, 2022, the war in Ukraine has just begun, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly adopts a resolution condemning the Russian invasion. But on the electronic board, the distribution of the votes which are displayed causes amazement: nearly half of the 54 African countries have refrained from condemning Moscow or, like Morocco, simply preferred not to vote.
The war in Ukraine has in fact recreated the confrontation of two great blocs: great powers against emerging countries, Western imperialism against non-aligned countries. The choice is complicated for many African capitals, and fraught with consequences. Yet Africa is the first continent to suffer from this war, hit hard by shortages and the food crisis. 18 African countries import at least half of their wheat from Ukraine or Russia. Benin is even 100% dependent on Russian wheat.
At the beginning of June, the President-in-Office of the African Union, the Senegalese Macky Sall, traveled to Sochi, Russia, to plead the African cause with Vladimir Putin, reminding him that the majority of African countries had chosen not to condemn Russia. “Just because we abstained in a vote at the United Nations doesn’t mean we support Russia, he explained at the time. But this conflict which is happening in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, after two difficult years… Many African countries have preferred to avoid engaging in this conflict.
It is also distrust of Westerners that guides Africans in their choice. Military presence, particularly French, the stagnation or failure of peacekeeping missions during conflicts, Western support for contested regimes… The growing military influence of Russia in Central and West Africa, fueled through defense partnerships and contracts with the private Wagner militia, in addition to a strong social media campaign. Leading Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to address African Union members directly on June 26: “Africa is being held hostage. This is Russia’s war against us. This is not a crisis, this is a brutal war. They are using you.”
Africa taken hostage, suspended in a conflict thousands of kilometers from its shores.