Africa must no longer become a “geostrategic battleground”, the African Union warns

The African Union (AU) warned on Thursday, May 25, that Africa must not once again become a desert. “Geostrategic Battle”, as warring Russia and Ukraine vie for influence on the continent. The head of Ukrainian diplomacy, Dmytro Kuleba, who is currently on a tour of several African countries, called on the continent to support Kiev against Moscow and spoke about the adoption of the bill on Thursday. “The First African Strategy”.

“In this international context of adversarial, divergent geopolitical interests, each other’s will threatens to transform Africa into a geostrategic battleground, thus reviving a new version of the Cold War.”AU Commission Chairman Musa Faki Mahamati warned. “In this zero-sum game, where gains for others translate into losses for Africa, we must resist all forms of instrumentalization of our member states.”he continued.

Musa Faki Mahamati was speaking at the podium of the African Union in Addis Ababa in connection with the 60th anniversary.^e Anniversary of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which was founded on May 25, 1963 in the capital of Ethiopia and which became the AU in 2002.

Africa is at the center of international struggles for influence that have intensified since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Many African countries are highly dependent on grain imports from Russia and Ukraine for food. A UN-Turkey-sponsored deal to allow Ukrainian grain to be exported via the Black Sea through 2022 was renewed for two months last week.

First Ukraine-Africa summit.

Hit by heavy Western sanctions, Moscow is looking for support in Asia and Africa, where many states have not openly condemned Russian military intervention. In recent years, Russia has multiplied initiatives on the continent aimed at presenting an alternative to former colonial countries. The Russia-Africa summit, the second of its kind, is planned for St. Petersburg at the end of July. At the beginning of the year, the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergey Lavrov, also visited several African countries, including Mali, Eritrea and Sudan.

On the other hand, his Ukrainian counterpart is making his second African tour in less than a year. “We have recently adopted our first African strategy and have intensified our political dialogue with many countries on the continent.Mr. Kuleba said on Thursday in a statement released on the occasion of the 60th anniversary^e Anniversary of OAU. He announced the opening of new Ukrainian embassies in Africa this year and the organization of the organization “Ukraine-Africa First Summit”.

Mr Kuleba was in Rwanda on Thursday, after Morocco and Ethiopia. In Addis Ababa on Wednesday, he called on some African countries to make concessions “neutrality” They show conflict and support Kiev against Moscow. In February, 22 of the 54 member states abstained or did not vote on the latest UN General Assembly resolution calling on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine. Two states – Eritrea and Mali – voted against. Countries such as Senegal and South Africa abstained.

At the same time, the African mission, led by six African leaders, is discussing the issue of resolving the conflict in Ukraine and which Pretoria announced should go to Ukraine and Russia. According to Lavrov, this mission, which in addition to South Africa includes Senegal, Zambia, Congo, Uganda and Egypt, is expected in Russia in June or July.

At the AU podium on Thursday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for his part called for strengthening African unity. “Our continent today (…) quickly became a powerful voice on the global stage”He rejoiced.