Opinion: How Russia outmaneuvered the US in Africa

Editor’s Note: Joyce M. Davis, outreach and opinion editor for PennLive and The Patriot-News, is the president and CEO of the World Affairs Council of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She is a veteran journalist and author who has lived and worked around the globe, working for National Public Radio, Knight Ridder Newspapers in Washington, DC, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague. The opinions expressed here are her own. Read more opinion at CNN.

CNN
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Russia seems to be outmaneuvering the United States in Africa. In recent days, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov underscored that stark reality as he wined and dined his way through a tour of four African capitals.

As much as President Joe Biden would like African countries to join the Western alliance in isolating Russia over its brutality in Ukraine, Russia is making a show of bolstering ties with some powerful players on the continent.

Instead of being treated like a global pariah as the US wants, leaders in South Africa, Eritrea, Angola and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) treated Lavrov like a cherished friend during his visit.

In South Africa, Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor greeted Lavrov with open arms. She didn’t use the meeting in Pretoria last Monday to repeat calls for Russia to stop killing Ukrainians. And she brushed off criticism, saying it would be “simplistic and infantile” to do so.

To make matters worse, Pandor also announced South Africa will soon conduct joint naval drills with Russia and China, calling it “exercises with friends.” The US and Europe were not amused.

But South Africa has historically strong ties with Russia, dating back to the days of apartheid when the Soviet Union stood with the then-banned ANC when it most needed support. It’s likely Lavrov reminded South Africans of that history during his visit.

Now the West is having to face the fact that a good swath of Africa appears to consider Russian President Vladimir Putin a friend – or at the very least, strategically important enough to keep on side.

South Africa was one of 17 African nations which abstained against condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, at the United Nations in March. Eight others didn’t submit a vote.