What if Africa played its own part in the Russian war in Ukraine? Without having so far displayed a common position since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago, a peace mission led by six African leaders could go “as soon as possible” to Kyiv and Moscow in an attempt to “find a peaceful solution” to the conflict. The South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, announced the dispatch of this mission, including, in addition to his country, Senegal, Zambia, Congo, Uganda and Egypt.
African countries have denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 less unanimously than the major Western powers. Senegal and South Africa notably abstained last year at the UN during the vote of a resolution condemning Moscow. Eritrea voted against, while Kenya and Rwanda sided with the West.
Close to the Kremlin since the era of the struggle against apartheid and an influential power on the continent, South Africa has refused to condemn Russia since the beginning of the conflict, claiming to remain “neutral” and to want to favor dialogue. A position that has irritated the international scene.
Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky have “agreed to receive the mission and the African heads of state, in Moscow and Kiev,” President Ramaphosa said at a press conference in Cape Town. “I have agreed with President Putin and President Zelensky to start preparations with African heads of state,” he continued, adding that he spoke over the weekend with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts. during “separate telephone calls”. Details and timing of the mission were not specified. But “the success or failure of this initiative will depend on the discussions that will take place,” said Cyril Ramaphosa, saying he hoped for “sustained exchanges”.
The day before, the South African head of state was indignant that Pretoria was under “extraordinary pressure” to choose sides, after recent tensions with Washington over the Russian question. He asserted that South Africa will not be drawn “into a competition between world powers”.
The US ambassador to Pretoria was outraged last week that a Russian freighter docked near Cape Town in December, accusing it of returning to Russia loaded with arms and ammunition.
The South African government has said there is no record of state-sanctioned arms sales to Russia over the period in question and Mr Ramaphosa has announced an investigation into the matter. .
Visibly angry, Defense Minister Thandi Modise told the Mail daily
The African mission will be the latest in a series of diplomatic efforts that have so far failed to achieve a peace plan for Ukraine. A Chinese special envoy is expected in kyiv this week to promote the Beijing-led peace talks.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “welcomed” the proposed African mission, said Cyril Ramaphosa. Mr Guterres, however, said last week that peace talks were “not possible at this time”, with both sides “convinced they can win”.
According to Cyril Ramaphosa again, Washington and London gave “cautious” support to the African mission.
