The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia begins a visit to Africa
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Guinea on Monday in the first phase of a visit to three African countries aimed at increasing support for Moscow.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia has announced the visit on the Telegram social network.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Lavrov is expected to continue his visit to Chad and Burkina Faso. That's according to Russian state media reports.
The trip comes while Moscow hopes to strengthen the support from the countries of the continent while the Western countries led by the United States are doing everything to ensure that Russia is isolated on the international stage.
After Russia's special military operation in Ukraine that began in February 2022, Moscow has seen its relations with the West deteriorate.
While the African Union and several other African countries opposed Russia's position, more than half of African countries, including Guinea, abstained from voting on United Nations (UN) resolutions calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.
In July last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted several African heads of state at the second Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg in Moscow.
During the meeting, Russia made promises aimed at delivering grain to several African countries, while also announcing its intention to strengthen economic and security cooperation between Moscow and the countries of the continent.
Russia's main economic interests in Africa are based on grain, weapons, minerals and exports of nuclear energy.
More than 70 percent of all trade between Russia and Africa in 2021, was done in just four countries, which are Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and South Africa.
