On the eve of the arrival of the African peace mission, Guinea's ambassador to Moscow Niankoye Haba told Sputnik Africa what has compelled African leaders to respond to the conflict in Ukraine.
"Everything that surrounds this conflict means that the whole world is impacted in one way or another. And Africa cannot remain aloof," explained Haba on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
Among its objectives is to "express the point of view of an African country."
The delegation visited Kiev on June 16 and is scheduled to arrive in St. Petersburg on Saturday.
"Nobody wants war. It's true that the interests of each country must also be respected", the Guinean diplomat remarked, expressing the hope that the "coming African representatives will be able to convince both parties to defuse the situation."
Mission Composition
Four heads of state and three high-ranking African officials held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before meeting his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The mission includes South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Senegalese President Macky Sall and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. Azali Assoumani, president of the Comoros, currently in charge of the African Union, will also attend.
Uganda's leader Yoweri Museveni, who tested positive for Covid-19, has chosen a former prime minister as his special envoy. Egypt's Abdel Fattah al-Sissi will be replaced by his Prime Minister. The President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, will be represented by his Chief of Staff.
"From our own experience, it is in times of escalating conflict that the search for peace must also be accelerated...The strength of this mission is that African leaders will engage with both sides," said Cyril Ramaphosa, who arrived in Poland on June 15, according to a statement from the South African presidency.
This is "an important initiative supported by the goodwill of a number of important countries," UN Secretary-General António Guterres commented on June 15.