Russia’s top diplomat continued with his anti-Western rhetoric — slamming the West for being still “infected” by colonialism — during his visit to Chad where he wrapped up his Africa tour which included stops to Guinea, the Republic of Congo, and Burkina Faso.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived late Wednesday in Chad’s capital N’Djamena where he met with his counterpart Abderaman Koulamallah.
Long considered as France’s sphere of influence, Central and Western Africa have recently seen a growing Russian footprint. But “I can guarantee you that our friendship with Chad will not affect our relations with France in any way,” Lavrov stressed.
The veteran Russian Foreign Minister had arrived in Burkina Faso late on Tuesday (4 June), his first visit to this junta-ruled West African nation, where a Russian embassy reopened last December. According to a report by the Moscow Times, during Lavrov’s talks with Burkinabe military leaders, a decision was reached to increase the number of its military instructors in the country. “Russian instructors work here and their number will increase,” he said at a press conference in Ouagadougou on Wednesday (5 June). “At the same time, we are training representatives of the armed forces and security forces of Burkina Faso in Russia.”
When asked whether Russia intends to “oust” the United States from Africa, Lavrov said that the US and its allies continue to take a colonial view of international relations. “Americans can’t seem to get rid of this syndrome of omnipotence and permissiveness. They consider themselves entitled to present their claims throughout the world,” Lavrov noted. But this “does not concern” Moscow that is building relations with friends in Africa based entirely on mutual interests, benefits, and complete equality, the Russian diplomat added.