UNGA: Africa is still divided in its stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine

African countries have been divided over the vote in the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday (12 October) that in the end condemned Russia’s “illegal annexation” of Ukrainian territories after Moscow vetoed a similar text in the Security Council in late September.
Twenty-six African countries voted in favor of, while nineteen others abstained in the vote on the resolution rejecting Moscow’s controversial referenda in four Ukrainian regions. Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, Mali, the Republic of Congo, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe were among the African countries that abstained. Eritrea, which had previously voted against a UN resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, also abstained. Three of these African countries hosted Russian diplomatic chief Sergei Lavrov during his tour of the region in July. Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Sao Tome and Principe were absent from the assembly.
The UN General Assembly of the 193 member states had met in an emergency meeting. It adopted the resolution with 143 votes in favor, with five countries against and 35 abstaining, including China, India, Pakistan, and South Africa, despite diplomatic efforts by the United States. The five states that voted against were Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea, and Nicaragua. Earlier this month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba toured Africa in an effort to persuade leaders to support Kiev in light of Russia’s apparent hold on the continent. He was forced to cut his visit short after Moscow intensified its bombing of Ukraine.