Russia and the West hunt hearts and minds in Africa
Associate Professor Stig Jensen has written a two-part article for GlobalNyt analysing Sergei Lavrov and Emmanuel Macron's tours in Africa.
He explains that over the summer the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and French President Macron have been in Africa to win 'hearts and minds'. Lavrov and Macron's trips to Africa should be seen in the light of the current unstable geopolitical situation, with both Russia and the West vying for the favour of African nations. The goal of both was to win hearts and minds in Africa, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, however, the vantagepoint for the two trips were fundamentally different.
Associate Professor Jensen accents that it is important to keep in mind that most African leaders are notoriously reluctant to take sides, because they remember all too well the Cold War and its heavy costs on the continent. While Russia and the West are fighting for power, influence and allies on the African continent, perhaps they are misreading Africa in 2022. That means they could both be left with less power and influence and fewer allies.
“Both Russia's and the West's policies in Africa are based on yesterday's agenda”. The question must therefore be whether both are in fact aiming at the wrong target and will in the not too distant future be on the losing side.
For more read the first and second article in Danish,