{"id":195051,"date":"2022-07-31T19:46:08","date_gmt":"2022-07-31T16:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/?p=195051"},"modified":"2022-07-31T19:46:11","modified_gmt":"2022-07-31T16:46:11","slug":"ukraine-in-flames-143","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/en\/ukraine-in-flames-143","title":{"rendered":"Africa: threat of hunger and Russian soft power"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

African countries are among those most accutely facing hunger because of Russian aggression against Ukraine. Yet, many African nations choose to tolerate or even support Russia in many ways. This was illustrated by the United Nations vote on 2 March in which 18 African states voted against or abstained from condemning Russia\u2019s actions in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can be explained by the Kremlin\u2019s years-long efforts to put the African countries under its influence. The so-called \u2018soft power\u201d came into play as Russia realized Africa was an attractive arena to pursue its interests with limited economic and political costs. Russia has been pushing its agenda in Africa through disinformation networks like Prigozhin\u2019s Internet Research Agency. It has also conducted its influence through more conventional education programmes and the expansion of Russian state media into African markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With 54 votes at the UN General Assembly (27,97 % of all votes) and three votes at the UN Security Council, African nations must realize that to ensure their food security, they must raise their voices and put pressure on Russia to restore the safe export of grain from Ukraine. If they remain unconsolidated in their position against the true perpetrator of the looming food crisis and continue buying into Russian propaganda, the consequences will be catastrophic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaker:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n