How the DRC positions itself in the Ukrainian conflict

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi during his video address to the annual UN General Assembly.

Loey FELIPE / UNITED NATIONS / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

On the 11th day of the invasion of Ukrainian territory by Russia, the reactions of African countries are still as timid.

The vote on Wednesday March 3 of the UN General Assembly resolution which " 

 " gave some indications: sixteen African countries abstained out of 35 abstentions in the world.

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With our correspondent in Kinshasa,

Kinshasa did not hesitate when it came to voting in favor of the United Nations resolution against the Russian attack.

However, some geopolitical experts wonder: is it a vote in favor of a principle or against a country, in this case Russia?

Patrick Muyaya, Minister of Communication and Media, explains that the DRC has aligned itself behind the official position of the African Union, which recalled the principle of the intangibility of borders and respect for the sovereignty of countries.

The other reason, added the Minister, is the past of the DRC which had already known in its history an aggression from its Rwandan, Burundian and Ugandan neighbours.

Almost always behind Westerners

Historically, the country has always advocated non-alignment.

But in reality, Kinshasa almost always sides with the West's position in its opposition to the Soviet bloc then and to Russia today. 

Since the arrival of Félix Tshisekedi, Kinshasa and Washington have become closer, 

in a context also marked by a redeployment in Africa of actors such as China, Turkey, India and Russia.

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