How should Africa respond to the Ukraine crisis?
Date & Time: 23rd March 2022, 17:00 – 18:00 GMT via Zoom
In the UN General Assembly vote on a resolution demanding Russia’s withdraw from Ukraine, 28 African countries voted in favour, 1 against, 17 abstained (alongside India and China) and 8 did not vote at all – 25 in all preferring not to take a position. And yet the war is already having a big impact on Africa through soaring commodity prices (good for oil exporters, bad for oil and food importers) and the impact on Russian trade and investment.
It also raises big questions for Africa’s future. How important for African states is the multilateral system and the international rule of law? Should political alliances with great powers take priority? Or is it better to maintain strict neutrality between the warring parties? Does the shifting of borders by force, or the re-colonisation of an independent country create wider precedents?
An expert African panel joined us to debate all these urgent questions. Watch below for the full in depth discussion.
Chair:
Shuvai Nyoni, Director , African Leadership Centre
Speakers:
- Murithi Mutiga, Program Director for Africa, International Crisis Group (Nairobi)
- Cheta Nwanze, Lead Partner, SBM Intelligence (Nigeria)
- Greg Mills, Director, The Brenthurst Foundation (Johannesburg)