'Great Success of Russian Diplomacy': Africa's Ukraine Stance Converges With Moscow, Expert Says
12:44 05.08.2023 (Updated: 13:08 05.08.2023)
© Sputnik . Pavel Bednyakov
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The Kremlin released a joint statement by President Putin and African leaders representing the continent's peace mission on the Ukrainian settlement earlier this week following talks in St. Petersburg on the sidelines of Russia-Africa Summit. In particular, the statement highlighted the progress on the humanitarian aspects of the initiative.
The Russia-Africa Summit, as well as subsequent talks on the African peace initiative and the fate of the grain deal, were "successful" in terms of bringing the positions of Russia and African states closer, said Ivan Loshkarev, a scientific researcher at the Center for the Middle East and African Studies of the Institute for International Studies MGIMO, in an interview with Sputnik Africa.
According to the expert, some viewpoints of the African leaders on the situation in Ukraine have changed since the first meeting on June 17. He recalled that the statements of the African countries made before the first trips to Kiev and St. Petersburg, were "generally unfavorable" for Russia.
However, he stressed, their statements after the summit and intensive negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that "for example, on the issue of Ukraine's sovereignty, African states now take a somewhat less rigid position." Loshkarev explained that this issue is of particular importance for Russia because one of the main goals of its foreign policy is to ensure international recognition of its borders, including Crimea and new territories, "which joined us in 2022."
"This is a great success of Russian diplomacy [...]. This rapprochement of positions [of Russia and Africa on Ukraine] is actually evidence that, firstly, Russia was able to convey its position, and secondly, African leaders, well, in some ways, maybe not in everything, but they heard Russia," he said.
Russia-Africa Agricultural Export Request to Be Heard
In the joint statement, the Russian president and African leaders likewise urged the UN to take specific steps to remove obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer exports, thus allowing the resumption of the full implementation of the 2022 Black Sea initiative. They also called to release 200,000 tons of Russian fertilizer blocked in the EU ports for immediate and free delivery to African nations.
Loshkarev noted that the main demand and negotiating point is the release of fertilizer and grain exports that are blocked in Western ports. Despite it seeming to be a small amount, even the smallest food supply "will not be superfluous for the continent" given the rather difficult situation in some African states and the fact that millions there are on the verge of starvation.
He assumed that even if the demand for the fulfillment of obligations to Russia under the grain deal will not be met, the demand for the release of agricultural goods will eventually be heard.
"To be honest, I believe that this Russia-Africa call to unblock Russian food products and fertilizers will be heard. But perhaps it will be done more behind the scenes and without any announcement that Russia's demands have somehow been met," he stated.
The expert elaborated that "such things are usually done in silence," when journalists, politicians and the general population are distracted by more serious events and processes.
Keys to Peace in Hands of... Ukraine or West?
Speaking about the current situation in Ukraine, Loshkarev pointed out that since the end of last year, Kiev has exhausted its own stocks of weapons and financial reserves. Today, the only thing that "keeps Ukraine afloat as a party to the conflict" is subsidies and armed support from Western countries.
Therefore, he stressed, "the keys to peace in Ukraine are certainly not in Ukraine."
"As soon as one of the parties is no longer able to maintain an armed confrontation, meaningful negotiations for a ceasefire or even a more sustainable peace will begin," he said, adding: "Another thing is that the West as a whole, and the United States in particular, are not yet ready to start negotiations on Ukraine."
Earlier, in an interview with Sputnik Africa, the President of the Union of the Comoros and Chairman of the African Union Azali Assoumani said that Kiev was the one that took an uncompromising position and was not ready for negotiations.
For his part, Loshkarev emphasized that Ukraine has recently started to enhance political cooperation with African states, mostly in a bid to reduce support for Russia on the continent. This intention explains why "Kiev is very cautious in formulating its refusal" on the main points of the African peace initiative, in particular, on the point of security guarantees for all, including Russia.
"African leaders will probably not be able to influence the Ukrainian leadership on key issues, but their position as mediators will fully allow them to promote initiatives and achieve compromises on humanitarian issues," Loshkarev added.
West's 'Cynical Economic Interest' in Africa
The expert also touched upon the topic of neocolonialism, noting these practices still exist and many Western nations continue to resort to them. According to Loshkarev, some Western elites not only want to maintain and use the leverage of the financial, military and cultural presence in Africa, but also to continue exploitation of the continent's resources that "actually provide the technological superiority of the West."
"We are not only talking about the West's attempts to preserve some of its former greatness, but also about a completely cynical economic interest. Without these African resources, of course, both technological superiority and the distribution of value added in world GDP will be completely different," he explained.
However, he added, the West's dominance and presence in Africa won't disappear anytime soon. Referring in particular to the banking sector, he noted that there is almost no alternative to the international financial institutions on the continent. According to Loshkarev, there will be a gradual, mild decline in the West's influence in Africa.
