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War in Ukraine: why so few African reactions?

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is one of the few presidents of the African continent to have reacted to the Russian attack in Ukraine (Illustration image).

© AP/Nic Bothma

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2 mins

There are few reactions in Africa following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

How to explain it, how to interpret it?

Emmanuel Dreyfus, researcher on Russia-Africa relations at Irsem, the Institute for Strategic Research of the Military School, returns to these questions.

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RFI: How to interpret the lack of reactions in Africa following the Russian invasion in Ukraine

?

Emmanuel Dreyfus:

I interpret it above all by the fact that the tragic events taking place on Ukrainian territory do not necessarily constitute a foreign policy priority for the countries of the African continent.

And I think that it is above all according to this prism that we can understand the relative absence of reactions in relation to this news.

The Soviet Union accompanied a number of African countries after independence.

Today there are also strong alliances, economic or military, on the continent, with Moscow.

Is there also a form of recognition, or caution on the part of these African countries

?

Strong alliances, the term is perhaps a little strong.

There are more and more extensive relations that are developing between Russia and certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Of course, the Central African Republic.

I am thinking more recently of the relations that are being forged between Moscow and the military junta in Mali.

And obviously for these countries precisely, the absence of reactions is also linked to bilateral relations with Moscow.

In these countries precisely, the Central African Republic and Mali, Russia is presented by the authorities as a new strategic partner, defender of national sovereignty against the former French colonizer.

Could the outbreak of the invasion of Ukraine call this status into question, change the perception of Russia

?

I am not fundamentally convinced of this because once again what is happening in Ukraine is not necessarily the primary concern of the public opinion concerned.

But we will have to see over time.

In any case, what is certain is that one of Moscow's arguments – and not only vis-à-vis the African continent, it is a recurring argument in the foreign policy of Russian foreign policy – ​​is is to defend the sovereignty of States.

And in this case, sovereignty is completely violated, to say the least of course.

And so this will add further contradictions to Russian foreign policy discourse.

And I want to say that this is not the first time this has happened.

And we are not close to a contradiction.

►Also read: The war in Ukraine arouses cautious reactions in Africa

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