Day: February 24, 2022

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CAR’s Capital Pays Tribute to National Army, Russian Soldiers

BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC — As much of the world denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Thursday, the Central African Republic's capital, Bangui, hosted a tribute to Russian paramilitaries who helped beat back rebels a year ago.

In Bangui’s city center, a human-sized statue erected last year depicts Central African and Russian security forces protecting a woman and her child.

As Western countries tried in vain Wednesday to prevent Russian military aggression against Ukraine, about 100 Central Africans gathered at the monument holding Russian flags.

The group was paying tribute to Russian mercenaries who helped defend the capital, Bangui, last year against rebels.

Blaise-Didacien Kossimatchi organized the ceremony. He heads the "National Galaxy" platform, a Central African group close to the government that often holds protests against France and the United Nations.

He says they say no to everything that is a smear campaign against our army and our Russians, especially by the international press who qualify the Russians as mercenaries.. Kossimatchi adds, "no, the Russians are not here to make exactions - the Russians did nothing!”

By exactions, Kossimatchi means crimes such as rapes and killings. U.N. experts accuse Russian mercenaries of abusing civilians in the CAR. and several other countries.

Several of those celebrating the anniversary wore T-shirts that read “I am Wagner,” a reference to the Wagner Group, the shadowy Russian network that supplied the mercenaries.

Analysts say Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ally, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is behind the Wagner Group.

Wagner’s fighters provide security for CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadéra and have been spotted from Syria to Libya and from Mozambique to Mali.

Yefi Kezza, a member of the ruling United Hearts Movement party, says they’re changing history. You see what is happening in Mali, says Kezza. This is a strong message that I’m sending to the French Embassy today, he says. It is time to cooperate with President Touadera and to try and liberate the country together, says Kezza. We’re grateful to the Russians. We are here today, he says, and we have invited the Russians to join us to thank them along with our national army.

No Russians attended the celebration in Bangui, but one Central African army commander was in the crowd.

One man held a sign that read, “Russia will Save the Donbas from War,” referring to the area in southeast Ukraine that Russia declared independent this week before launching its invasion.

A CAR government spokesman declined to comment on the celebration.

Source: Voice of America

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Africa Opposes Border Aggression but Unlikely to Condemn Russia

NAIROBI — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has so far been met with diplomatic silence in Africa, except for a comment made by Kenya’s ambassador to the UN earlier this week. Analysts say that while many Africans disagree with Russia’s use of force, the continent’s governments are aware of Russia’s power on the world stage.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Kenya, Andrii Pravednyk, spoke to reporters in Nairobi and appealed to the international community to help his country against Russia’s invasion.

“Today, the future of Europe and the future of the world is at stake. Today Ukraine calls on the international community to take the following actions, to implement devastating sanctions on Russia now without any delay,” he said.

But so far, African governments have said nothing about the Russian aggression. One exception is Kenya, whose ambassador to the U.N., Martin Kimani, condemned the prospect of an invasion Monday, three days before Russian forces entered Ukraine.

“Kenya rejects such a yearning from being pursued by force. We must complete our recovery from the embers of dead empires in a way that does not plunge us back into new forms of domination and oppression,” he said.

Separately, South Africa issued a statement Wednesday urging Ukraine and Russia to find a way to de-escalate tensions.

Steven Gruzd is the head of the Russia-Africa Program at the South African Institute of International Affairs. He says African states are well aware of Russia’s power in the international system.

“African countries are mindful of the role Russia plays in international politics. It is a supporter without asking governance questions, without asking [about] the internal affairs of countries," he said.

"There was a big Africa-Russia summit in 2019 in Sochi where 43 African leaders went. Russia is definitely wooing the continent and that may weigh on how critical countries are going to be," he said.

But Grudz says in principle, African government oppose the idea of rearranging borders by force.

“We were left with colonial borders at the end of the 19th century and when our countries became independent, we decided that we would respect those borders even though they cut off ethnic groups and language groups and so on. Otherwise, it’s a recipe for total disaster. So, I think the fact that there is some political affinity between Russia and African countries would probably make the statement more muted but African countries will stand for their principles and one of those is territorial integrity and sovereignty,” he said.

Kenyan international relations expert Kizito Sabala says he doubts the Kenyan ambassador’s words at the U.N. will affect Nairobi’s relationship with Moscow.

“Russia is going to ignore this statement just like any other from the U.S. or any other partner. They are just going to proceed with what they want to do and what they think is right but in terms of relations, I don’t think it is going to adversely affect Kenya-Russia relations,” he said.

Russia has exerted increasing influence in Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Mali and Libya in recent years. Some governments have used Russian mercenaries to battle insurgent groups.

The mercenaries are accused of widespread abuses against civilians. The Russian government denies any link to the mercenaries.

Source: Voice of America

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African Relations with Russia Uncertain Amid Ukrainian Conflict

JOHANNESBURG — Russia has played an increasing role on the African continent through trade, aid, military training and paramilitary security. Analysts say the future of that relationship will be tested as Russia’s tensions with the West escalate amid the Ukrainian conflict.

The South African government condemned Russia’s action in a statement, saying “it is dismayed at the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine” and “calls on Russia to immediately withdraw its forces from Ukraine in line with the United Nations charter.”

Other African countries remained quiet Thursday as Russian forces pushed into Ukraine.

Russia has increased its presence on the continent in recent years and is scheduled to host a Russia-Africa summit this November.

Regardless of how African nations react to Russia’s invasion going forward, analysts say the continent will feel repercussions.

Irina Filatova is the professor at Russia’s Higher School of Economics University.

"Will it be the new cold war, or will it be the new hot war? We still do not know. But whatever it is, Africa is one, is going to be one of the victims of it,” Filatova said.

Countries reliant on imported oil and gas like South Africa will feel the pain of skyrocketing prices.

Northern African countries that import grains from Ukraine will feel disruptions in supply and price.

The conflict could also impact the availability of funding and resources for international development and aid that many African countries rely on.

Dzvinka Kachur is a researcher at the Centre for Sustainability Transitions at South Africa’s Stellenbosch University.

"It's also going to create a long-term distraction from and attention from the sustainable development goals,” Kachur said. "So we can expect the budgets of states around the world will be gearing towards more militarization and not the developmental goals.”

The conflict not only risks disruptions to aid, but also military and peacekeeping support on the continent.

Pauline Bax is the deputy director for the International Crisis Group in Johannesburg.

“A lot of attention will be taken away from conflicts that are quite urgent here in Africa, such again as the Sahel, the conflict in Mozambique and the conflict in Ethiopia," said Bax. "A lot of diplomatic efforts will have to be put in the Ukraine crisis now and has already been put in – to the detriment of other crises here in Africa.”

However, the conflict could also bring opportunities.

Kachur says African leaders should call for changes in global power structures, especially at the United Nations.

Russia is of of five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.

“This is an opportunity to show that U.N. system is ineffective if the aggressor is one of the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council,” Kachur said. ".... This is a good time for African countries to talk about the change of the global system of international relations and to redistribute power.”

Analysts note it’s too early to be sure how the conflict in Ukraine will affect countries thousands of kilometers away. But to the extent the world order is being altered, Africa will feel the impact.

Source: Voice of America