Russia is looking to establish its embassy in another African country in the next few weeks. Russia over the past few years has been looking to deeply root itself into African affairs in a move to usurp the West’s influence in the continent. The idea, based on a recent survey seems to be working, as Russian approval ratings in 2023 surpassed US’s approval ratings across Africa.
A report by the Russian newspaper, Sputnik showed that Equatorial Guinea would get a Russian embassy in the next few weeks as part of Russia’s plan to establish a concrete presence on the continent.
This information was relayed on Wednesday by Vsevolod Tkachenko, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of Africa.
“We have already opened our embassy in Burkina Faso not so long ago. In the coming weeks, our diplomatic mission in Equatorial Guinea will start its work. A couple of other our diplomatic ‘spots’ are in line, which will enable us to be closer to the practical concerns and needs of our African partners,” Tkachenko said at a forum in Moscow.
“One of the signs of this is the constant requests of many of our African partners to restore a diplomatic presence in those countries where, for one or another reason, it was suspended,” he added.
Following a 32-year hiatus, Russia chose to reopen its embassy in Burkina Faso in 2023. Both the Burkina Faso administration and a Russian diplomat verified this. The embassy was closed in 1992 as a result of Russia’s lack of interest in the nation after the end of the Cold War.
This initiative, like the previous ones Russia has made in Africa, aims to sift out Western influence in the mother continent and replace it with their own.
Russia’s constant push in Africa seems to be working as a recent survey shows that Russia’s popularity in Africa is becoming more than that of the US.
The survey done by the American consulting agency Gallup shows that while the US had a 56% approval rating in 2023, China had 58%, and Russia; 64%.
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