Sub-Saharan Africa
Sputnik brings you all the most recent information, major events, heroes and views, including breaking news, images, videos, analyses, and features.

Lavrov's Visit to Kenya Shows Moscow's Commitment to Developing Win-Win Partnerships, Expert Says

© Sputnik . Press Service of the Russian Foreign Ministry / Go to the mediabankRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya Moses Wetangula during a meeting in Nairobi.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya Moses Wetangula during a meeting in Nairobi.  - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 30.05.2023
Subscribe
Yesterday Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Kenya’s capital of Nairobi on a working visit to meet the nation's leadership. Lavrov’s visit to Kenya, his first stop on his new African tour, is the foreign minister’s fourth trip to the continent in the past 12 months.
This fourth visit of the head of Russian diplomacy to the African continent - and specifically to Kenya - demonstrates Moscow's intention to strengthen its ties with Africa and ensure reliable win-win partnerships with African nations, Abdelkader Soufi, researcher in geopolitics and defense policies at Algeria's University of Blida II, has told Sputnik.
According to the international relations specialist, as the West puts pressure on African countries to renounce their neutrality in the Ukrainian conflict, Russia is building up confidence in the region. He added that the most recent visit by the Russian foreign minister to Kenya may consolidate Russian-African ties.

Soufi noted that the visit indicates that "the Russian-African partnerships and relations are solid, stable, reliable and durable."

 Lavrov greets his Kenyan hosts - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 29.05.2023
Sub-Saharan Africa
Great Opportunity to 'Synchronize Watches': Lavrov Greets His Kenyan Hosts
He explained that the visit could also be seen as part of a broader campaign of countering the Western pressure exerted on many countries, particularly in Africa.
Soufi said that Lavrov's visit to Kenya is intended to explore the possibilities of further development of bilateral relations in various fields of mutual interest, steps to be taken together, investments, and the future of partnership between the two nations.

"Kenya is also an important African country, which has human and natural potential, which needs partnership, or at least to diversify its strategic partners on a win-win basis," he said.

The researcher underlined that "the Russians can especially help African countries to ensure economic and social security", which, first and foremost, requires political stability.

"And I believe that this is an important issue for the future of Africa, in particular, to put a barrier to organized crime and to the various radical forms that are invading Africa, [...] creating this perpetual disruption," Soufi concluded.

He also noted that apart from military assistance, Russia can share its expertise in medical technology and intelligence, aeronautics and other sectors with its development partners.
On 29 May, Sergey Lavrov paid a working visit to Nairobi, during which he was received by Kenyan President William Ruto. The minister met with the speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula and held talks with Kenya's Minister of Foreign Affairs Alfred Mutua.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, during the meeting with President Ruto, a wide range of issues related to the further development of Russian-Kenyan relations were discussed. In December this year, the two nations will mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Newsfeed
0