Remi Adekoya, an associate lecturer at the England University of New York, has explained why most African countries have chosen to remain silent in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Many of these African countries, he claims, are afraid to compromise their own security, foreign investment, and trade by supporting one side in this fight.
Thousands of Nigerians, Ghanaians, and Kenyans have been evacuated from the warzone, but the response to the war has been far more muted.
Nigeria had simply invited Kirdoda Valerii, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Nigeria, and his Russian counterpart, Alexei Shebarshin, to discuss the necessity to evacuate Nigerians living in the country.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama met separately with the envoys in Abuja behind closed doors, assuring the Russian diplomat that Nigeria as a country would not condone the breach of the territorial integrity of a United Nations member state with which Nigeria has diplomatic relations.
He further stated that he told Shebarshin that Nigeria wanted Russia to return to the status quo previous to the military action, with diplomacy and dialogue taking precedence.
Mr. Adekoya also told CNN that African countries are in a precarious situation and will not want to be lured into proxy wars.
“In African diplomacy, there is a strong school of thought that believes African states should adhere to the concept of non-interference and avoid being embroiled in proxy wars between the East and the West.
“For example, during the Cold War, certain states were caught up in proxy warfare,” Adekoya remarked.
Last week, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated unequivocally that he will not make an enemy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, instead opting for diplomacy between the two warring nations.
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