Russia is prepared to up the ante in the battle for support from the developing countries in Africa, director of the Africa Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Vsevolod Tkachenko announced today. “Literally on the eve of the New Year, our embassy opened in Burkina Faso, and very soon another Russian diplomatic mission will open—in Equatorial Guinea. Several more ‘points’ are in the pipeline—where exactly they will open, we will let you know as soon as we are ready,” he was quoted in Sputnik.
The State Department, obviously distraught over this new Russian diplomatic offensive in Africa, has been issuing statements warning about the increased diplomacy of Russia in Africa. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been on the phone over the last week trying to “woo” African countries away from cooperating with Russia. The State Department also issued a blanket warning about Russia’s Africa Initiative, a Russian-led effort with the media in Africa, calling it “disinformation” and “propaganda.”
