https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230619/africa-has-grassroots-solidarity-with-russia-analyst-says-1060032549.html
Africa Has 'Grassroots' Solidarity With Russia, Analyst Says
Africa Has 'Grassroots' Solidarity With Russia, Analyst Says
Sputnik Africa
Sputnik sat down with Abayomi Azikiwe, the editor of the Pan-African News Wire and a political analyst, to to discuss relations between Russia and the African... 19.06.2023, Sputnik Africa
2023-06-19T18:47+0200
2023-06-19T18:47+0200
2023-08-03T10:49+0200
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Since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis, the people of the African continent have sided with Russia, Abayomi Azikiwe told Sputnik in an interview.According to Azikwe, the countries of the continent "refused to take a position in support of the United States."This is confirmed by marches across the continent with Russian flags and appeals for increased military cooperation with Moscow, as noted by the editor.According to the journalist, the strengthening of cooperation between Russia and Africa principally through the Russia–Africa summit, the mission of African leaders to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, and their participation in the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, have "infuriated the United States and the European Union."In May, Moscow's Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said that Washington tried to dissuade African leaders from participating in the Russia-Africa summit.The second Russia–Africa Summit will be held in St. Petersburg, Russia's "cultural capital", from July 26 to 29. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the list of those who have already confirmed their participation is "very, very impressive."Senegal and West African InstabilityAzikiwe went on to link West Africa's security problems to the actions of the US authorities in the Middle East. The expert believes that Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, "supposedly having close relations with the US Africa Command," have become victims of Islamic insurgents, who "have their roots in the US intelligence apparatus in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as in Syria."In the context of the current protests in Senegal, the analyst added, "these are things that the Senegalese government should definitely be concerned about, as well as the opposition in Senegal, because they don't want to be utilized either as cannon fodder or as a mechanism for destabilizing the state of Senegal."
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russia, africa insight, west africa, united states (us), west, sahel, ukraine crisis, international
Africa Has 'Grassroots' Solidarity With Russia, Analyst Says
18:47 19.06.2023 (Updated: 10:49 03.08.2023) Sputnik sat down with Abayomi Azikiwe, the editor of the Pan-African News Wire and a political analyst, to to discuss relations between Russia and the African continent during the Ukrainian crisis, as well as the West's influence on the security situation in the Sahel region.
Since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis, the people of the African continent have sided with Russia, Abayomi Azikiwe told Sputnik in an interview.
According to Azikwe, the countries of the continent "refused to take a position in support of the United States."
"They are part of the nonaligned movement, but at the same time, on a grassroots level, there's a lot of sympathy and solidarity with Russia in this whole conflict," the journalist stressed.
This is
confirmed by marches across the continent with Russian flags and appeals for increased military cooperation with Moscow, as noted by the editor.
"This came out clearly last year when you had demonstrations in Mali and Ethiopia and Burkina Faso, where people were flying a Russian flag, they were asking for Russian military advisors to come in to help with the security crises in several countries," Azikwe said.
According to the journalist, the strengthening of cooperation between Russia and Africa principally through the Russia–Africa summit, the mission of African leaders to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, and their participation in the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, have "
infuriated the United States and the European Union."
In May, Moscow's Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said that Washington tried to dissuade African leaders from participating in the Russia-Africa summit.
The second Russia–Africa Summit will be held in St. Petersburg, Russia's "cultural capital", from July 26 to 29.
According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the list of those who have already confirmed their participation is "very, very impressive."
Senegal and West African Instability
Azikiwe went on to link West Africa's security problems to the actions of the US authorities in the Middle East.
The expert believes that Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, "supposedly having close relations with the US Africa Command," have become victims of Islamic insurgents, who "have their roots in the US intelligence apparatus in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as in Syria."
"These jihadists have been deployed in all those geopolitical areas, also in Libya in 2011," the editor of the Pan-African News Wire remarked, adding that "they have not gained a foothold in Senegal."
In the context of the current
protests in Senegal, the analyst added, "these are things that the Senegalese government should definitely be concerned about, as well as the opposition in Senegal, because they don't want to be utilized either as cannon fodder or as a mechanism for destabilizing the state of Senegal."
