The American ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, deplores the African vote concerning the condemnation of Russia after its intervention in Ukraine. It asks African States to take a clear position.
Is the diplomatic sovereignty of African countries threatened by Western pressure? During an interview on Wednesday, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield urged African leaders to more clearly back Ukraine against Russia.
The American ambassador reveals in particular that she put pressure on the African members of the United Nations Security Council - in particular Kenya, Gabon and Ghana - to obtain, on March 2, their vote condemning Russia. The UN voted that day for a resolution "condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine".. “I engage with them regularly, and I meet with other African permanent representatives to encourage them to speak out on this issue,” admits the diplomat.
In the March 2 vote, 28 African countries voted to condemn the Russian military operation in Ukraine. Seventeen countries abstained, eight countries did not vote and only Eritrea voted against. A position that has undoubtedly disappointed European countries and the United States. A non-aligned position consistent with the history of Africa, and above all with the degree of involvement of African countries in this conflict today opposing Russia to the West, and particularly to NATO countries.
The President of Senegal and of the African Union (AU), Macky Sall, recalled the importance of “respect for the independence and sovereignty of States”. Linda Thomas-Greenfield and the Biden administration seem to have been taken aback by the African position, however. And the American ambassador does not hide it, she seeks to put pressure on African diplomacy. To the detriment of African interests?
Apathetic American diplomacy in Africa
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, with experience in the fight against racism in the United States and a diplomatic career in Africa - ex-ambassador to Liberia, ex-responsible for African affairs at the American State Department - seems however surprisingly off the mark, even confusing Macky Sall with the chairman of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat.
“The head of the AU was in Washington last week, Mr. Moussa Faki, and he met with Secretary Blinken and others in Washington. And a number of questions were on the agenda about how we can partner with Africa on a wide range of issues. But Ukraine was definitely one of those areas where we need African engagement, we need partnership with Africa,” says Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
However, the diplomat, endowed with the rank of minister, is the main interlocutor of African countries for the United States. A decision taken, no doubt, by Joe Biden's chief of staff, Ronald Klain, nicknamed "the Ebola czar" for his supposed commitment to the response to the pandemic.
The two senior officials, along with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, form Joe Biden's triumvirate of African politics. But apart from a lightning visit by Blinken to three African countries last November, this African diplomacy of the new White House was limited to a few speeches. Nothing more.
The American diplomatic corps has, moreover, failed to overcome the fall in American investment in Africa. Despite many promises, direct U.S. investment rates have fallen in 2021 — $37 billion — to below the terms of George W. Bush and Donald Trump.
However, during his inauguration, Biden affirmed that the United States "stands ready to be Africa's partners in solidarity, support and mutual respect".
Unrequited pressures
But what does the United States promise if African countries line up behind them? Asked by journalist Ronald Lwere Kato about American plans to support Africa, in the event that African countries support the United States' UN position, Linda Thomas-Greenfield was even less clear.
“You know, we have done a number of things to lessen the impact of this war and the sanctions that have been imposed on Russia to lessen the impact of this on other countries,” the diplomat said. “The idea is to look for other sources of oil to build and promote other countries which are all producers, a large number of countries which are all producers on the African continent. How can we use these resources more effectively to support not only Africa, but also the rest of the world? “, she asks.
But, in the meantime, it is rather the African countries that are going to the rescue of Europe, the first region impacted by the sanctions on Russia. Algeria has increased its gas exports to Italy and Spain. Angola has put up for sale the exploitation of new oil and gas blocks. As for Nigeria, it has decided to increase its exports at the expense of the increase in fuel prices in the country.
A commitment greater than that of the United States, where Biden has prohibited gas magnates from increasing production for export. Incidentally, sparking a war between the gas lobbies and the government.
As for cereals, the shortage of which threatens certain countries with hunger, the United States, France and Canada, which are the largest producers after China, India and Russia, still show no desire to export it to Africa beyond measure.
Africa prefers to look elsewhere
So, putting aside non-existent economic engagement or an imaginary win-win potential engagement, what would Africa stand to gain by aligning itself diplomatically with the West? Some presidents do not seem ready to commit to this.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa believes that the war between Russia and Ukraine "could have been avoided if NATO had heeded the warnings issued by its own leaders and officials over the years". And to continue: “The most powerful countries tend to use their position as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to serve their national interests rather than the interests of world peace and stability”.
Ramaphosa also, like Macky Sall, attempted mediation in the Ukrainian-Russian conflict.
As a reminder, South Africa and Senegal had abstained from voting for the condemnation of Russia at the UN. Pretoria is also a member of BRICS. The bloc also bringing together China, India and Brazil, forecast to account for 40% of global GDP in 2025, in addition to representing half of the world in terms of demography.
The BRICS also aspires to the membership of other emerging powers such as Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey.
If the latent conflict between the NATO countries and Russia intensifies, therefore, this takes place in a changing geopolitical climate. The recent creation of the African G4, and the end of the Western economic and diplomatic monopoly in Africa with the entry into force of China, Russia and Turkey, are just as many reasons for Africa to avoid taking a position which does not serve its interests.