By John Ikani
US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield has decried African States neutrality on the war in Ukraine, stressing that nations of the second largest continent must not continue to sit on the fence.
Greenfield’s comments comes as 17 African countries – half of the world total – abstained from voting in the General Assembly two weeks ago to deplore the Russian invasion of Ukraine while another eight did not vote at all.
The ambassador who stressed there could be no neutral ground, explained that the ongoing crisis was not simply a Cold War competition between the West and Russia.
Meanwhile, leaders of South Africa and Uganda – countries which both abstained in the vote – have this week pointed to Russia’s concerns over Nato’s expansion as the crux of the problem.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told MPs: “The war could have been avoided if Nato had heeded the warnings from among its own leaders and officials over the years that its eastward expansion would lead to greater, not less, instability in the region.”
A sentiment shared by Uganda’s leader, Yoweri Museveni, who in an interview with Nikkei Asia, said he saw parallels with the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 – accusing the US of “double standards”.
