excellent job administration is doing an excellentjob as far as administration is doing an excellent job as far as staying engaged in being able to use diplomatic tools in a way to shape diplomatic tools in a way to shape the outcome of this and deliver shape the outcome of this and deliver a shape the outcome of this and deliver a strong message to african deliver a strong message to african countries that you know. african countries that you know, putin is not a reliable partner, know, putin is not a reliable partner, he is stilla significant problem when it comes significant problem when it comes to ukraine, and it is already comes to ukraine, and it is already spilling into where it is impacting food insecurity and is impacting food insecurity and inflation in the continent. joseph, and inflation in the continent. joseph, do you think there is any chance that these african leaders can get putin to reverse course, to change his mind? ~ ., ~ , mind? well, i don t
food singled out instead the narrative is exactly the opposite. it is all about what russia has done to restrict these food supplies. so i think it has been a real black i have russia in terms of its diplomatic efforts, and credit to the african leaders who kept pressing the point, and i think it is not lost on anybody that this was purely a self initiated restriction on the grain supplies, the grain deal was working fine over the past year, the un said that they had exported 32 million tons, so to cut that off just to try to advance a political and, i think has really backfired for moscow, vis a vis their african interlocutors. moscow, vis-a-vis their african interlocutors. interlocutors. asha, we have about 30 interlocutors. asha, we have about 30 seconds interlocutors. asha, we have about 30 seconds left, - interlocutors. asha, we have about 30 seconds left, just l about 30 seconds left, just briefly, to what extent do you think russia s influence could be a destabilising force
continent very briefly? again, auoin continent very briefly? again, going back continent very briefly? again, going back to continent very briefly? again, going back to the continent very briefly? again, going back to the argument i continent very briefly? again, i going back to the argument that it does going back to the argument that it does not keep up with its promises, failing to deliver, again. promises, failing to deliver, again. 50 promises, failing to deliver, again, 50 tons of grain is not enough. again, 50 tons of grain is not enough, sol again, 50 tons of grain is not enough, so i think we will see this play enough, so i think we will see this play out, and they are still this play out, and they are still going to play political football with regards to promoting the decolonisation, blaming the west decolonisation, blaming the west for everything.- decolonisation, blaming the west for everything. thank you so much. west for everything. thank you so much
talent or probably also the interest to invest heavily in these countries. flit interest to invest heavily in these countries. interest to invest heavily in these countries. of course we know prigozhin these countries. of course we know prigozhin has these countries. of course we know prigozhin has played - these countries. of course we know prigozhin has played a l know prigozhin has played a huge role in information warfare as well, it is notjust on the battlefields, he has had a significant role in publishing this information, and if we take a look at what is going on in indonesia right now in ej right now. we have seen niger. people have been chanting and holding russian flags. do you think that information war is laying out on the continent right now? i don t think so. what we are don t think so. what we are seeing right now, especially in niger is more and more polarised geopolitical environment, where to be anti french is to be pro russian, which doesn t necessarily re
to be in exile. who needs who more right now, would you say? well, thanks for having me. i think the simple answer is, when it comes to russia s africa policy, the russian state needs wagner far more than wagner needs the russian state to conduct its operations in africa. specifically in the central african republic and mali most especially right now. what do you think it says that putin essentially allowed prigozhin back into the country? prigozhin back into the count ? ~ ~ country? well, i think it essentially country? well, i think it essentially shows - country? well, i think it essentially shows the i country? well, i think it i essentially shows the fact country? well, i think it - essentially shows the fact that wagner is crucial to the russia africa summit and it s crucial to russia s ability to project influence and power on the continent. and so prigozhin s appearance in st petersburg at this summit isn t surprising, because ultimately i think the russian state is in a bit