Page 35 - bne Magazine August 2022

bne August 2022 Cover Story I 35
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Vote to condemn Russia invasion Lavrov took to the road at the end
of July in a bid to build closer ties
with non-aligned countries and defy the
crushing sanctions imposed on Russia by the West over its invasion of Ukraine.
Lavrov wasn't met with open arms, but he was greeted with sympathy. Russia has a lot of friends in Africa.
Moscow opposes a unipolar world based only on Western interests
and is promoting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s vision of a multipolar international order, which has long been a centrepiece of his foreign policy.
Lavrov’s tour of Egypt, the Republic of Congo, Uganda and Ethiopia comes as African countries struggle with soaring food and fertiliser prices due to supply chain disruptions, which Moscow blames on the sanctions, as Washington does on the Russian invasion and blockade of Ukrainian ports.
The looming threat of a food crisis against soaring prices, also for fuel and fertiliser, could spark social unrest in Africa. Indeed, countries like Ghana, where annual inflation accelerated to 27.6% in May, an 18-year high, already saw riots in July over the cost of living, with basic foodstuffs out of reach of the poor.
Russian company Uralchem, among the largest global producers and exporters of nitrogen, potassium and complex fertilisers, announced on July 28 it will supply its products (urea or compound fertilisers) to Africa on a free-of-charge basis. The project at this stage provides for humanitarian delivery of the first batch of 25,000 tonnes to Togo.
Russia already enjoys close ties with many African countries, having built on relations that were cultivated during the Cold War era. And many if not
most African countries already see Russia as an ally and supplier of food, commodities, nuclear power technology and arms amongst other things.
Those relationships were made clear during the UN voting to condemn
Vote to remove Russia from UN Human Rights Council
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in March. As bne IntelliNews reported, about half of Africa abstained from condemning Russia in that vote, although only Eritrea actually voted against the motion.
And even more African countries abstained in a second vote in April to remove Russia from the UN Human
Nevertheless, Russia and Egypt retain warm relations. Egypt depends heavily on Russian grain imports and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was a guest of honour, joining Putin in his plenary session at this year’s St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Egypt was also the only country to set up a pavilion at this premier Russian investment event.
“Russia already enjoys close ties with many African countries, having built on relations that were cultivated during the Cold War era”
Rights Council, with eight countries voting against the motion completely.
Those votes do not appear to have influenced Lavrov’s choice of itinerary. Egypt voted to condemn Russia’s invasion, but the Republic of Congo, Uganda and Ethiopia all abstained.
In the vote to expel Russia from the UN Human Rights Council, Egypt and Uganda abstained, while the Republic of Congo and Ethiopia voted against it.
The UN voting patterns paint a picture of many non-G7 countries trying to sail a delicate path between maintaining
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