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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s four-country tour of Africa has drawn a lot of attention from Western media, which have described his trip as a diplomatic campaign aimed at proving that Western efforts to isolate Russia have obvious limits. In Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda and the Republic of Congo, Lavrov sought to deflect responsibility for the serious disruptions in food and fuel supplies resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and to position Moscow as a champion of national sovereignty and independence. This is a brazen claim by a country that is currently involved in a campaign to annex part of its neighbor. Meanwhile, the world is waiting for Russia to lift the blockade of Ukrainian grain and allow ships to pass through the Black Sea.

Lavrov’s tour followed President Biden’s announcement that the long-planned summit of US-African leaders would be held this December in Washington, DC, and would address a broad agenda of strengthening economic ties, promoting democracy, advancing peace and security, and addressing global issues. questions. threats to health, climate and food safety. Senior US officials are also touring Africa; USAID Administrator Samantha Power was in Kenya and Somalia last week, focusing on the dire drought and hunger crisis in the Horn, and US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield will travel to Ghana and Uganda in a few days. There are rumors that Secretary Blinken will also travel to the continent in the coming weeks. The Biden administration is clearly trying to show a revived enthusiasm for US-Africa relations.

That high-level energy and engagement is unequivocally positive, but there are two pitfalls officials should avoid. First, to make significant progress in advancing shared interests with African states, it is important that US officials be honest when they deny that US attention to African partners is primarily focused on ousting Russia or China. Headlines like those in the Washington Post mentioning a “new cold war” serve as a warning to the United States. It can be acknowledged that all major powers are seeking influence in Africa without framing the continent as a venue for proxy contests rather than a force that shapes the global future in its own right. In the future, there will be no resilient rules-based international order that does not include African leadership and does not serve African interests. Policies driven solely by great power rivalry can stifle African agendas and over time confound US strategic goals.

Africa in Transition

Michelle Gavin  and other experts track political and security developments across sub-Saharan Africa. Most weekdays.

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Another danger is to imagine that high-level visits and emergency packages are, by themselves, sufficient to overcome long-term neglect. Understaffed embassies are just one symptom of a US foreign policy community that has for too long treated Africa as an afterthought. It will take expertise, resources and continued commitment to move beyond crisis management and execute a thoughtful strategy tailored to US interests and Africa’s dynamic future.

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