Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko (centre) and Ukraine’s ambassador to SA, Liubov Abravitova (right), confirm Ukraine’s intentions to expand the country’s African footprint with the establishment of new embassies across 10 African countries. Picture: Siyabonga Sithole
Ukraine has revealed that it has expanded its African footprint with a roll out of 10 new embassies across the African continent.
This was revealed by Ukraine’s ambassador to South Africa, Liubov Abravitova, who was speaking during the opening of the Free the Children Conference on Tuesday.
Last year, Ukraine launched diplomatic ties with the establishment of an embassy in Ghana, with reports suggesting that additional embassies are planned in Rwanda, Mozambique and Botswana.
At the time, the government, through its Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Kyiv, revealed that it would invest $25 million (approximately R468m) in establishing these 10 embassies in 10 African countries as part of Ukraine’s African renaissance and rekindling of its relationship with its African counterparts.
Abravitova, who remained coy about other countries on the list, said it is important for Ukraine to strengthen ties with the rest of the continent in order to bolster solid relationships.
“Ukraine is reaching out to the different regions of the African continent through these new embassies. We are talking about 10 new embassies across the continent of Africa. South Africa will be the first one to know which countries will be included. This is the prerogative of the president and the minister of foreign affairs because we want to be able to speak directly to the African continent,” she said.
Abravitova, who is the Ukrainian representative in other countries as well, said Ukraine and Africa relations are important to ensure energy and food security between the two regions.
“We want to reciprocate and appreciate the support Africa has given to us. This will also ensure food and energy security, and everyone should be able to benefit from these relations. We want to be able to speak directly on our behalf and prioritise dialogue,” she added.
Ukraine’s former president Viktor Yushchenko, who was part of the conference, indicated that part of the reason is to ensure that Africa has its own voice in the building of solid relationships with Ukraine.
“We feel strongly that Africa should have its own voice. There is a greater interest for Africa and Europe as Ukraine seeks the same things as what Africa seeks, which is freedom, prosperity and the right to self-determination. These are the freedoms that China has and other countries have. But what Russia wants for Africa and the world is to tear the world down. Just look at all the wars in the world, Russia is involved in all of them because they want to see instability all around the world,” he said.
The Star