From one side to the other

The United Nations vote on the resolution against the Russian invasion has divided Africa between those who choose Russia and those who choose the West

The diplomatic offensive launched by Russia, the United States and Western countries in Africa has divided the continent in two while the neocolonial exploitation of resources and above all the sale of arms continues unabated

Better than many speeches, the analysis of the vote at the UN general assembly a year after the outbreak of war in Ukraine explains the geopolitical division in Africa. The voted resolution, which condemns the Russian invasion, calls for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territories under the sovereignty of Kiev, was approved by a very large majority. It obtained the votes of 141 of the 180 countries represented, while 32 abstained and seven voted against.

African states were the majority among the abstainers, as many as 15. The group includes countries such as Ethiopia, Guinea, Mozambique, Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Algeria, Angola, Burundi, Central Africa, Congo. It should not surprise the position of Pretoria, although criticized by the West, which, in the name of the USSR's support for the fight against apartheid, claims a position of non-alignment even in the new world which is breaking up into blocs. Even Algeria, despite having strengthened ties with Italy for the sale of gas, boasts solid ties with Moscow for the support it had to obtain independence 60 years ago. As well as Angola and Mozambique. As far as Ethiopia is concerned, the abstention is an alignment with the Chinese vote, which has invested heavily in the infrastructure of the African giant.

The position of Sudan is more interesting. Khartoum, in addition to being Beijing's historic oil supplier, has for months hosted the mercenary troops of Wagner, the company linked to the Kremlin which also fights in Ukraine. The leaders of the Russian mercenaries would have well-established relations with the Sudanese military, grappling with demonstrations by demonstrators demanding democracy, and would extract gold from local mines to finance, according to CNN, the conflict started by Moscow in February 2022. Central Africa too he abstained because he even uses Wagner's militias as a presidential guard. Among the opponents, aligned with Russia, are Eritrea and Mali. At the end of January, the national-communist regime of Isayas Afewerki received a visit from Russian Foreign Minister Sergej Lavrov who allegedly made an agreement to open a military base in Massawa, a port on the Red Sea. Mali has instead asked for the help of pro-Russian mercenaries to fight jihadist terrorists after the departure of French troops last year in dispute with the Malian military junta. Two delicate anti-Western choices because both countries are the origin of important migratory flows towards the EU that Moscow could exploit as a weapon. In the block that voted in favor of condemning the invasion we find heavyweights such as Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria and Libya, an interesting case because Russia is present with the Wagner in Cyrenaica controlled by General Haftar. Somalia, which had previously abstained, also voted to condemn the invasion. A sign of its probably definitive passage with Western governments. The diplomatic offensive launched by Russia, the United States of Western countries in Africa has therefore divided the continent in two while the neocolonial exploitation of resources continues and above all the sale of armaments.

According to several analysts, Africa spends twice as much on arms as on agriculture, while one in five Africans suffers from hunger. The responsibilities lie with the international community, donors, economic institutions, governments that continue to sell arms in the name of business. But today the responsibilities also lie with African rulers who must respond to the plight of their peoples and not just to personal, family or patronage interests. So let's start again from the vote at the UN to build a more united continent that knows how to take its own destiny in hand.

Sandro Calvani

NP Marzo 2023