The African direction is becoming one of the most vibrant in Russian foreign policy, as more and more representatives of Russian government and public structures, business and humanitarian spheres interested in the continent apply to the ministry, Vsevolod Tkachenko, Director of the Africa Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told the Russian media.
The diplomat announced the ministry's work to expand Africa's flight geography, adding that Russian Aeroflot airlines resumed flights to the Seychelles in 2022 and Mauritius a year later. Tkachenko named both countries, along with Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, as the most popular sub-Saharan African destinations for Russian tourists.
"There is interest in Namibia and Ethiopia, and Senegal and Sierra Leone look promising," the director said. "Before the coronavirus pandemic began, the Russians discovered a new destination - The Gambia."
Overall, the number of Russian tourists who visited Africa last year was 30% higher than in 2022, the diplomat revealed, adding that the continent has unique nature and interesting cultural heritage.
In addition, Tkachenko noted that following the results of the Second Russia-Africa Summit, the country's leadership set the task of expanding Russia's diplomatic presence throughout Africa, a task that the ministry is fulfilling.
"Just on New Year's Eve we opened our embassy in Burkina Faso, and another Russian diplomatic mission in Equatorial Guinea will open very soon. Several more 'points' are in the pipeline - where exactly they will open, we will let you know as soon as we are ready," he said.
Continuing with the Russia-Africa summits, the diplomat noted that the 2026 event will be held in an African country.
Moscow's Stance on AES States' Withdrawal From ECOWAS
The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was largely a response to the community's recent "pressure" on the countries, Tkachenko said. He explained that the bloc not only imposed tough sanctions on the Alliance of Sahel States' (AES) countries, but also considered options for forceful action.
"Based on our unwavering principle of 'African solutions to African problems,' we believe that the states of West Africa must decide for themselves how to find a way out of the current situation," the diplomat pointed out.
Commenting on the coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, Tkachenko said the events had "a common denominator: the desire to end the vestiges of dependence on the former colonial power, ensure nationally oriented development, and increase efforts to counter the terrorist threat."
In this regard, the director of the department noted that one of the major challenges to peace and security in Africa is the entrenchment of terrorist groups in some parts of the continent.
However, the potential for countering the complex of security threats on the continent is growing, Tkachenko noted, adding that Russia fully supports these African efforts and its contribution is "very visible."
"We work both multilaterally - first and foremost as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council - and bilaterally. We engage in political dialogue with the continent's states and their associations, cooperate on broadly defined security issues, and respond promptly to requests for assistance from our African partners when the situation requires it," he stressed.
Western Attitude Toward Africa Remain 'Fundamentally Neo-Colonialist'
Tkachenko also addressed the relationship of Western countries to Africa, emphasizing that the neo-colonial approach is characteristic not only of the former colonial powers, but also of the United States, which has "thoroughly displaced" them on the continent, as well as the European Union, which is trying to play the role of "collective mentor" there.
He described the West's approach to the continent as "fundamentally neo-colonialist, arrogant and consumerist."
"The root of the problem, of course, lies in the fact that the former 'masters' of the continent, deep down, never accepted Africa's independent subjectivity in world politics, its right to determine its own ways and means of development, its basic values, and its circle of external partners. Hence the constant desire to instruct, the attempts to dictate behavior, not only in international affairs, but often in domestic affairs as well," the diplomat noted.
He added that Russia will not let the promotion of an anti-Russian narrative by Western countries in Africa and the imposition of restrictions on the development of relations with Moscow to go without an appropriate response.
The diplomat emphasized that Russia is comfortable with the forums, instruments and mechanisms that Western and African countries create by mutual agreement to ensure their relations.
"However, if Western countries use such events to impose restrictions on African partners to develop relations with our country, or to promote an anti-Russian narrative in the public space, this does not go without due reaction," Tkachenko concluded.