before nato even started focusing on china as a security challenge, so nato has had operations in the region, had a number of counter piracy organisations between 2008 and 2016 in the ocean, partners in the region as i ve mentioned, so nato presence, not presence because nato is not physically present but their engagement in the region has long preceded the region has long preceded the focus on china so i think it is important to point that out. china is unhappy in many parts because china is unhappy about the strengthening of us alliances in general, usg alliances in general, usg alliances in general, usg alliances in the region with us partners there are new as alliances elsewhere because china sees this as inherently anti china so that s where a lot of china distaste for what s happening between nato and the partners come from. nato has partnered with african union for two decades but there are many african nations that have remained neutral in the conflict. why is that and talk
anticipated gatherings in years. in the next half hour, we ll examine what ukraine got out of the summit and what it didn t and how that will affect the country s fight against russia; how the results of the nato summit will affect the bloc itself, especially now that sweden has been cleared for membership; and we want to get the view from other parts of the world, with a special focus on asia and africa. but first, here s a look at some of the key moments for this week s summit. president volodymyr zelensky, president of ukraine, welcome to you, it s great to have you here. we will issue an invitation to ukraine tojoin nato
about the relationship nato has with the continent in general? nato has a very deep relationship with the continent perhaps relationship with the continent perhaps not well known but since perhaps not well known but since the early 2000 nato has had support given to african union had support given to african union security efforts on the continent. first in sudan and then continent. first in sudan and then formal agreements to provide then formal agreements to provide airlift and see left african provide airlift and see left african union peacekeeping operations in somalia. there is been operations in somalia. there is been since operations in somalia. there is been since 2014 a formal agreement between the african union agreement between the african union and nato to have a nato office union and nato to have a nato office at union and nato to have a nato office at the african union headed office at the african union headed by a senior military officer headed by
partnership programme, a sort of debar, more comprehensive partnership document that they ve had with nato before and a lot of it is about increasing practical cooperation and in certain areas like emerging a disruptive technologies like cyber space, disruptive technologies like cyberspace, so if you see an increase in his relationships it ll be a deepening and broadening may be of the types of focus these relationships have. i of focus these relationships have. ., ., i. of focus these relationships have. ., ., have. i would ask you both, startin: have. i would ask you both, starting with have. i would ask you both, starting with you have. i would ask you both, i starting with you ambassador, many nations in africa and asia have close economic ties with russia and china. how difficult of a balancing act is that? is undoubtedly, they been impacted by the undoubtedly, they been impacted by the war. exports of green, of cooking by the war. exports of green, of cooking oil, of ener
remained very neutral in the conflict? . ~ .. conflict? individual african countries conflict? individual african countries have conflict? individual african countries have their - conflict? individual african countries have their own l countries have their own interests. most notable among them interests. most notable among them is interests. most notable among them is probably south africa which them is probably south africa which for them is probably south africa which for a variety of reasons ranging which for a variety of reasons ranging from the pedestrian, the biggest donor to the african the biggest donor to the african national congress, the ruling african national congress, the ruling party, is a sentient russian ruling party, is a sentient russian oligarch, two historic ties from russian oligarch, two historic ties from the liberation struggle days, perhaps a little exaggerated, and other interests, but that s very particular to specific countries. if yo