Ukraine’s Zelensky to Speak With African Leaders

 

The President of Ukraine has asked for an audience with African leaders.

 

This comes after some African countries have mostly stayed neutral or muted in condemnation of Russia.

 

According to his Senegalese counterpart, Macky Sall, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked to speak to the African Union.

 

In a tweet on Monday night, Sall who has been chairperson of the 55-member continental body since February, referenced a call with Zelenskyy on the same day.

 

The duo also discussed the global economic effect of the war in Ukraine and “the need to favour dialogue for a negotiated outcome to the conflict”.

So far, a number of African countries have been neutral or muted in their criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine due to Moscow’s longstanding relations with the continent since the Cold War era.

 

Earlier this month, the United Nations General Assembly suspended Russia from the UN Human Rights Council. Nine of the countries that voted against the resolution were African, and another 23 abstained from voting – more than half of the continent.