The Balancing Act of Diplomacy: How Russia Struggles to Appear on Africa’s Horizon

Russia has had always had bilateral agreements with African countries. Despite the intensification of political contacts between Russia and Africa the share of substantive issues on meeting agendas remains small, with few definitive results and a lack of coordination among various state and para-state institutions working with Africa. It is therefore important that that Russia makes strategic efforts more practical, more consistent and more effective with African countries. Without these fundamental factors, it would therefore be an illusionary step to partnering with Africa. Russia’s foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visits to Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda and the Republic of the Congo between 24-27 July have considerable geopolitical significance within the context of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. These meetings have presented opportunities to discuss the implementation of projects in nuclear, oil refining, energy, transport infrastructure, agricultural production and military technical support. Most of African countries have displayed neutrality, the best classic diplomacy of pragmatism, creating the basis for accepting whatever investment and development finance from the United States, the European Union, the Asian region, Russia and China, from every other region of the world.