The summit, intended to showcase Russia’s diplomatic push to increase influence on the continent, is taking place amidst a significant boycott: only 17 out of 55 African countries will be represented by their leaders at the event scheduled for July 27-28.
Great to hear, but still 17 too many.
A lot of those 17 are dictatorships, where the elites are unsurprisingly big fans of Russia / Wagner helping them prop up their regimes. Actual normal people in those countries tend to be significantly more anti-Russia.
Agreed. Given the fallout of Russia exiting the grain deal, which disproportionately affects Africa, I expected less than 17. However, maybe the hope for securing a grain deal is part of the allure for some of the heads of state attending.
Now that Russia blocked and bombed their grain shipments, they don’t really have a choice I think.
Most of the other countries are sending lesser dignitaries, just not their heads of state.