Why African nations are walking a fine line on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Many African governments have avoided condemning Moscow due to factors including political reliance on Vladimir Putin, imports from weapons to wheat, and a history of non-alignment, writes Portia Crowe

File photo: Demonstrators holding placards with pro-Russian slogans gather in Bangui, Central African Republic, 5 March 2022 (AFP via Getty Images)

To understand the diplomatic quandary facing African nations when it comes to Russia’s war with Ukraine, one has to look no further than South Africa.

On the first day of the invasion, South Africa’s Ministry of International Relations issued a statement urging Moscow to immediately withdraw its forces.

The next day, however, president Cyril Ramaphosa took a different tone, calling instead for mediation and implying that US president Joe Biden was partly to blame for the conflict.