Ukraine seeks to build friendly strategic relations with the countries of the African continent based on mutual respect for basic values and international principles. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with African media journalists held at the Presidential Office.
The visit of African journalists was organized with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.
The meeting was attended by media from Angola, Botswana, Tunisia, the Republic of Guinea, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Zambia.
“If we are talking about a strategic partnership between us and any African country, it should be based on mutual respect. Relations should be based on respect for territorial integrity, sovereignty, respect for your language and traditions,” the Head of State emphasized.
According to him, after winning the war unleashed by Russia, Ukraine is ready to invest in African countries. Volodymyr Zelenskyy reminded that our state was opening 10 embassies on the African continent, which was an important political and financial investment in times of war.
The President noted that even today, some African countries know very little about Ukraine and opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.
“Each state has a strong area and there are areas that are just beginning to develop and are in short supply. If we are developed in agriculture and can be a guarantor, a friend, a strategic partner of African countries in this area, we want to do it,” he said.
As the Head of State emphasized, Ukraine cooperates with partners, building relations based on truth and mutual respect, while Russia traditionally uses force and influence through information manipulations.
The President noted that Africa has a long history of cooperation with Ukraine, which was a part of the Soviet Union. Therefore, our country has also made a great contribution to the development of the African continent, in particular to infrastructure projects and education programs with African countries. But after the collapse of the USSR, Russia monopolized its legacy.
“Russia has monopolized relations with African countries. And all we want to do is wipe this glass clean and say: ‘We are here, we are a large independent state, we have been working with you for a long time. Yes, we have been weak politically and informationally, but we will develop this,” he emphasized.
The President called the visit of the leaders of five African countries to Ukraine in June of this year very important: South Africa, the Union of the Comoros, Senegal, Zambia and Egypt. He believes that after visiting Kyiv, the leaders of these countries better understood what Ukraine is fighting for in the war against Russian aggression and that Ukraine is definitely a friend to African countries.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also noted that he was ready to visit the African continent and establish contact with as many African leaders as possible and the societies they represent.
“The main goal is for us all to do our best to achieve stability in the world and peace on the territory of our country. And to put any aggressor with any colonial ambitions in its place by ending this war,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy summarized.
In the context of implementing President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s instruction to intensify communications with the countries of the Global South, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is organizing a press tour of African media representatives to Ukraine. This project aims to promote a deeper understanding of the consequences of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine among African countries, as well as to establish direct contacts between African journalists and representatives of the Ukrainian government and civil society to obtain reliable information. The press tour will be Ukraine’s investment in deepening cooperation with African media and strengthening outreach on the continent.
The group includes 15 journalists from 10 African countries: Angola, Botswana, Guinea, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Tunisia, and Zambia. Given the relevance of promoting Ukrainian narratives on the African continent, in particular on the Peace Formula, food security and other important areas of Ukrainian foreign policy, as well as in the context of preparations for the Second Food Summit, the visit will launch an important area of cooperation between Ukraine and African countries.
