Russia is reportedly looking to establish a new embassy in Equatorial Guinea as part of Moscow’s bid to strengthen its African ties and counter Western influence, which comes as Russia and China surpass the United States in approval ratings on the continent.
Equatorial Guinea will get a Russian embassy in the coming weeks, according to the information confirmed by sources from the Russian Foreign Ministry, as part of Russia’s plan to boost its presence in Africa.
“We have already opened our embassy in Burkina Faso not so long ago. In the coming weeks, our diplomatic mission in Equatorial Guinea will start its work,” a senior diplomat told Russian newspaper, Sputnik.
Russia reopened its embassy in Burkina Faso in December last year after it had been closed for 32 years. The move was hailed as a significant milestone in the relationship between the two countries. The embassy was closed in 1992, owing to Russia’s disinterest in the continent at the time, following the end of the Cold War.
It comes as a recent survey conducted by the US consulting agency Gallup revealed that, in 2023, the approval ratings of China (58%) and Russia (64%) have surpassed the approval ratings of the United States (56%) in Africa. “The United States lost its place as the most influential global power in Africa last year as its star status dimmed and other countries — China in particular — gained fans,” Gallup says in an article titled ‘US Loses Soft Power Edge in Africa’.
The approval rating of the US has dropped by 29% in Uganda, by 21% in Gambia and by 14% in Kenya, while Libya and Somalia had the lowest scores, with 23% and 25%, respectively. On the other hand, in Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mauritania, Mozambique, Senegal, and Tunisia, US’s approval ratings increased.
In recent months, Russia has sought to boost its influence on the continent, with a focus on West Africa. Experts attribute Russia’s increasing popularity particularly to arms sales, military training, and economic initiatives in Africa.