The German Chancellor went to Senegal, Niger and South Africa, where he pleaded for a strengthening of cooperation with the continent.
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We had to expect it: the war in Ukraine followed Olaf Scholz in Africa. During a three -day visit which led him to Senegal and Niger before ending Tuesday, May 24, in South Africa, the German Chancellor pleaded for a strengthening of cooperation with the continent, in particular in terms of energy transition. A hammered message from Dakar to Pretoria but which has not significantly reduced the diplomatic fracture that appeared between Western leaders and some of their African counterparts since the start of the conflict in eastern Europe.
At the beginning of March, 17 African countries had refrained from voting the United Nations resolution condemning “the aggression against Ukraine” of Russia. Among them, Senegal, which currently provides the rotating presidency of the African Union (AU), and South Africa, a heavyweight of diplomacy on the continent. Dakar and Pretoria plead for peace through dialogue, while defending a position of “non-aligned”.
The African tour of Olaf Scholz thus continues to continue the invitation launched to the two nations to participate in the G7, of which Germany provides the presidency, alongside India, Indonesia and of Argentina, in June. A rally which the Chancellor hopes that he will send “a common signal from strong democracies, aware of their global responsibilities”, he said during his visit to South Africa.
Olaf Scholz endeavored to insist on the points of convergence with Pretoria. “Our countries share respect for democratic culture and a commitment to a multilateral global order based on respect for the law,” he said.
support “intolerable” to Russia
Obviously, the effort was not enough to hide the deep differences between the two countries on the war in Ukraine. Ensuring that the German chancellor had said to him “understand” the positions of the different nations on UN resolutions, including “those who voted in favor of Russia”, the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, did not It was quick to be taken over by Olaf Scholz, who estimated “intolerable” the support for Russia a few minutes later. “We agree that the war triggered by Russia against Ukraine is a war of aggression which aims to conquer territories,” said the German Chancellor.
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