Kampala: Uganda director Yoweri Museveni recently commented that RussiaThe war against Ukraine should be viewed in the context of Moscow being the “center of gravity” for Eastern Europe.
His son, Lieutenant General Muhuzi Kenerugaba, was more powerful, declaring that most Africans “support Russia’s stance in Ukraine” and “Putin That’s right!”
Amidst a worldwide chorus of condemnation, much Africa Either pushed back or completely quiet. 25 of Africa’s 54 countries did not vote or register a vote in a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia earlier this month.
reason? Many countries on the continent of 1.3 billion people have longstanding ties to and support of Moscow, which dates back to the Cold War when the Soviet Union supported anti-colonial struggles.
These relations have intensified in recent years. As US interest in Africa appeared to dwindle under President Donald Trump’s administration, Russia expanded its influence with China, expanding its economic footprint to include everything from agricultural programs to power plants. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in 2019, dignitaries from 43 African countries attended a summit with Russia, which has also become a major exporter of arms to sub-Saharan Africa.
The incident has not been taken into account. Last month, EU leaders held a long-delayed summit in Brussels to discuss ways to counter Russia and China’s influence in Africa, while Western military and civilian leaders have long been on the African continent and Both are eyeing Russia’s advance presence in the Middle East – a term for security in the West. China is also one of the few countries supporting Moscow.
The exceptions are the stream of sympathy running through Africa, with Kenya and Ghana criticizing Russia’s actions.
But, elsewhere on the continent, the countries not only shy away from criticism, but they also appear to be celebrating their alliance with Russia.
As the war in Ukraine intensified, leaders of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party attended an event to mark the 30th anniversary of the country’s diplomatic ties with the Russian Federation at the Russian Embassy in Cape Town.
The ANC has links with the Kremlin, extending back to the Soviet Union’s diplomatic and military support of the struggle against apartheid, which the Western powers did not provide. Some South Africans state that Russia was not among the colonizers of Africa.
MP Floyd Shivambu, leader of the country’s left-wing opposition, Economic Freedom Fighters, said “South Africa’s friendship with Russia” is rooted through the bonds of brotherhood. Shivambu said that Russia’s action in Ukraine is necessary to stop the expansion of NATO.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said his country stayed away from the UN’s censure motion as it failed to call for a “meaningful engagement” with Russia.
Criticizing NATO’s expansion in Eastern Europe, Ramaphosa told lawmakers on Thursday, “We have seen how, over time, countries have been invaded, wars have been launched over many years, and it left a catastrophe. Is.” “And some leaders of some countries have been killed. Our continent (of Libya) Muammar Gaddafi was killed.”
He said he believed Russia felt a “threat to the national existence” from NATO.
Also abstaining from the UN vote was neighboring Zimbabwe, which had previously escaped its own sanctions for alleged human rights abuses and electoral corruption at the UN, thanks to vetoes by Russia and China.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has praised Russia and China as a “reliable pillar” of the guns they provided and the training they gave to fighters in the 1970 war against white minority rule in Rhodesia.
Russia has major investments in Zimbabwe, including a multi-billion dollar joint mining venture in the Great Dyke area, which has the world’s largest deposits of platinum. Russia is also involved in gold and diamond mining operations in Zimbabwe.
In Uganda, where Russian officials regularly assist with the maintenance of military equipment, officials recently announced the signing of a contract with a Russian firm to install tracking devices in vehicles to combat violent crime. .
The UN representative for the East African country said that Uganda avoided a UN resolution on Russia to defend its neutrality as the next president of the Non-Aligned Movement, a Cold War-era grouping of 120 member states that includes nearly every African nation is included.
But President Museveni went ahead, actually meeting with the Russian ambassador as war broke out in Ukraine. The Ugandan leader, who has held power since 1986, has criticized the West’s “aggression against Africa”.
Museveni’s government has been embroiled in recent months with the US and other countries expressing concern over last year’s controversial election and mounting allegations of rights abuses. Museveni has also accused West of interfering in domestic affairs, including pressure to recognize LGBTQ rights.
Nicholas Sengoba, a columnist for Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper, said many authoritarian African leaders like Museveni are pleased to see Putin “stand up for the big boys in the West”.
After his meeting with the ambassador, Museveni urged Africans in a tweet to avoid what he called the “center of gravity”, which he said is Russia’s “center of gravity”. Slavic Nations of Eastern Europe.”
The post was later deleted, but his son Kenerugaba, who commands Ugandan infantry, was outspoken in his comments on social media.
“Most of the human race (who are non-white) supports Russia’s stance in Ukraine,” he tweeted on February 28. “Putin is absolutely right! When the USSR pitched nuclear-armed missiles in Cuba in 1962, the West was ready to blow up. Around the world on it. Now that NATO does the same they’re looking to do it differently from Russia.” you expect?”
His son, Lieutenant General Muhuzi Kenerugaba, was more powerful, declaring that most Africans “support Russia’s stance in Ukraine” and “Putin That’s right!”
Amidst a worldwide chorus of condemnation, much Africa Either pushed back or completely quiet. 25 of Africa’s 54 countries did not vote or register a vote in a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia earlier this month.
reason? Many countries on the continent of 1.3 billion people have longstanding ties to and support of Moscow, which dates back to the Cold War when the Soviet Union supported anti-colonial struggles.
These relations have intensified in recent years. As US interest in Africa appeared to dwindle under President Donald Trump’s administration, Russia expanded its influence with China, expanding its economic footprint to include everything from agricultural programs to power plants. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in 2019, dignitaries from 43 African countries attended a summit with Russia, which has also become a major exporter of arms to sub-Saharan Africa.
The incident has not been taken into account. Last month, EU leaders held a long-delayed summit in Brussels to discuss ways to counter Russia and China’s influence in Africa, while Western military and civilian leaders have long been on the African continent and Both are eyeing Russia’s advance presence in the Middle East – a term for security in the West. China is also one of the few countries supporting Moscow.
The exceptions are the stream of sympathy running through Africa, with Kenya and Ghana criticizing Russia’s actions.
But, elsewhere on the continent, the countries not only shy away from criticism, but they also appear to be celebrating their alliance with Russia.
As the war in Ukraine intensified, leaders of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party attended an event to mark the 30th anniversary of the country’s diplomatic ties with the Russian Federation at the Russian Embassy in Cape Town.
The ANC has links with the Kremlin, extending back to the Soviet Union’s diplomatic and military support of the struggle against apartheid, which the Western powers did not provide. Some South Africans state that Russia was not among the colonizers of Africa.
MP Floyd Shivambu, leader of the country’s left-wing opposition, Economic Freedom Fighters, said “South Africa’s friendship with Russia” is rooted through the bonds of brotherhood. Shivambu said that Russia’s action in Ukraine is necessary to stop the expansion of NATO.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said his country stayed away from the UN’s censure motion as it failed to call for a “meaningful engagement” with Russia.
Criticizing NATO’s expansion in Eastern Europe, Ramaphosa told lawmakers on Thursday, “We have seen how, over time, countries have been invaded, wars have been launched over many years, and it left a catastrophe. Is.” “And some leaders of some countries have been killed. Our continent (of Libya) Muammar Gaddafi was killed.”
He said he believed Russia felt a “threat to the national existence” from NATO.
Also abstaining from the UN vote was neighboring Zimbabwe, which had previously escaped its own sanctions for alleged human rights abuses and electoral corruption at the UN, thanks to vetoes by Russia and China.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has praised Russia and China as a “reliable pillar” of the guns they provided and the training they gave to fighters in the 1970 war against white minority rule in Rhodesia.
Russia has major investments in Zimbabwe, including a multi-billion dollar joint mining venture in the Great Dyke area, which has the world’s largest deposits of platinum. Russia is also involved in gold and diamond mining operations in Zimbabwe.
In Uganda, where Russian officials regularly assist with the maintenance of military equipment, officials recently announced the signing of a contract with a Russian firm to install tracking devices in vehicles to combat violent crime. .
The UN representative for the East African country said that Uganda avoided a UN resolution on Russia to defend its neutrality as the next president of the Non-Aligned Movement, a Cold War-era grouping of 120 member states that includes nearly every African nation is included.
But President Museveni went ahead, actually meeting with the Russian ambassador as war broke out in Ukraine. The Ugandan leader, who has held power since 1986, has criticized the West’s “aggression against Africa”.
Museveni’s government has been embroiled in recent months with the US and other countries expressing concern over last year’s controversial election and mounting allegations of rights abuses. Museveni has also accused West of interfering in domestic affairs, including pressure to recognize LGBTQ rights.
Nicholas Sengoba, a columnist for Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper, said many authoritarian African leaders like Museveni are pleased to see Putin “stand up for the big boys in the West”.
After his meeting with the ambassador, Museveni urged Africans in a tweet to avoid what he called the “center of gravity”, which he said is Russia’s “center of gravity”. Slavic Nations of Eastern Europe.”
The post was later deleted, but his son Kenerugaba, who commands Ugandan infantry, was outspoken in his comments on social media.
“Most of the human race (who are non-white) supports Russia’s stance in Ukraine,” he tweeted on February 28. “Putin is absolutely right! When the USSR pitched nuclear-armed missiles in Cuba in 1962, the West was ready to blow up. Around the world on it. Now that NATO does the same they’re looking to do it differently from Russia.” you expect?”