On May 29, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made an unexpected visit to Nairobi and met with Kenyan authorities. The sessions' main goal was to determine how Moscow and Kiev could build support from African countries for the current crisis in Ukraine.
“During our visit, we will discuss our cooperation in trade, investment, and economic spheres, humanitarian and cultural questions, education, UN cooperation, and many other issues,” Lavrov told Kenyan MPs, according to the Russian foreign ministry.
Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia, has recently made a number of unannounced trips to Africa. Most recently, he visited Kenya. Global powers are trying to establish influence on the continent, which is home to 1.3 billion people, as seen by these visits.
Speaking at State House in Nairobi when he hosted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Ruto said the two countries will sign a trade pact that will give businesses the necessary impetus.https://t.co/myIABODQCs
— K24 TV (@K24Tv) May 30, 2023
Lavrov's visit to Kenya closely followed the visit of his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, who had been in the country the previous week. While Foreign Minister Kuleba also undertook visits to Ethiopia, Morocco, and Rwanda, he additionally held meetings with Comoros President Azali Assoumani and Chairman of the African Union (AU) Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat.
During his visit, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba appealed to African nations to reconsider their neutral stance on the 15-month-old conflict in Ukraine. He emphasized Ukraine's commitment to strengthening ties with the African continent.
In a separate development, the upcoming second edition of the Russia-Africa summit is scheduled to take place in Saint Petersburg from July 26 to 29. This summit serves as a platform for Russia to engage with African nations and deepen their partnerships across various sectors.
