Africa is still a geopolitical battleground, with many European countries having military bases on the continent, Dr. Ntsikelelo Breakfast, professor at the Department of History and Political Studies at the Nelson Mandela University, told Sputnik Africa, commenting on Africa's role in the emerging multipolar world.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the world is now witnessing the climax of the dispute between multipolarity and those to whom "the UN Charter does not apply."
Commenting on the possible UN reform mentioned in Lavrov's speech, the expert stated that while two Security Council seats for Africa would be a step forward, economic self-sufficiency through internal markets and Global South trade is crucial to "step up to the plate in terms of having a voice internationally."
Regarding the future policies of the next US president, Dr. Breakfast predicted that Trump's "America First" approach would result in a more inward-looking US, potentially disrupting global markets and posing "a threat to BRICS countries." However, he also acknowledged Trump's stated intention to end the Ukraine conflict as a potential avenue for cooperation with Russia as a positive factor.
Earlier, Lavrov said that if Trump "makes America even greater" upon taking office, Russia should closely follow what methods he will use to achieve this goal.
Dr. Breakfast also spoke about bans on Russian media, pointing out that the West sees "any counterhegemonic move" as problematic. There is no sufficient reason for Russian channels to be blocked from reporting the news as they see it, the expert said, discussing Lavrov's statements on the matter.
In his speech, Lavrov commented on Western sanctions against the Rossiya Segodnya media group (Sputnik's parent company), arguing that while Western countries suppress any information critical of the authorities, Russia's media restrictions are strictly regulated.
Dr. Breakfast stressed that the media shape our understanding of the world by not only conveying news but also framing narratives to influence public opinion. He said that the international media that remain available in the West also have "political positions."
Discussing Sputnik's role, the expert stressed that media diversity, as reflected in the agency's work, is crucial to prevent any single, politically driven narrative from being presented as the absolute truth, which he deemed undemocratic. He maintained that journalists should be free to express different interpretations of society as long as they adhere to media ethics.