Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said late on May 29 that he is seeking support for Ukraine’s UN General Assembly resolutions and hoping to isolate Russia internationally.
Kuleba is currently taking part in a diplomatic tour in Africa. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister began his Africa tour on May 22 by visiting Morocco. Since then, he has visited Ethiopia, Rwanda, Mozambique, and Nigeria.
This remains a difficult task due to Russia’s extensive investments in African countries, Kuleba admitted.
Alexander Khrebet
According to the minister, for the past thirty years, the continent developed under the “inertia of the Soviet times” and Ukraine gradually “lost Africa.” Russia has leveraged this to systematically build up its influence.
Ukraine's minister claimed that Moscow’s diplomatic corps is trying to undermine Kuleba’s tour, convincing African leaders not to meet him.
Despite these efforts, Kuleba reported tangible results, as eight out of 10 countries agreed to open a Ukrainian embassy, and the other two are still contemplating.
Opening new embassies on the African continent was one of the main tasks set by President Volodymyr Zelensky for developing Ukraine-Africa relations.
"African countries are ready for the return of Ukraine in all senses. In order for more African students to study in Ukraine, which is beneficial to our educational institutions and increases the soft power of our state; ready to increase trade volumes; ready for a new development of tourism after the war; they are also interested in pharmaceuticals, digitalization, and a number of other areas,” Kuleba said.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
