Borrell denies that relations with Africa have worsened due to the war in Ukraine

BRUSELAS, 28 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, has rejected this Monday that relations between the European bloc and Africa have deteriorated due to the war in Ukraine, which has shown differences between Europeans and Africans, although he has recognized that the conflict has generated new problems that the EU must tackle.

"Our relations are not getting worse. The problem is that, since last year, new challenges have appeared," said the head of diplomacy in statements prior to the meeting of European Cooperation officials.

Borrell has conceded that the conflict in Ukraine has generated new problems such as the food and energy crisis, which are felt especially in African countries, so the EU must take a step forward to tackle these problems.

"Nobody thought last year about a food or energy crisis in Africa. It is not about our relationship with Africa, but about the fact that the war in Ukraine has created new problems, acute problems. And this requires a strong commitment on our part ", he pointed out.

In this sense, the former Spanish minister has defended that the EU works to prevent European support for Africa from being diminished by the consequences of the war in Ukraine and that "not a single euro" allocated to Africa ends up being destined for the crisis in Eastern Europe.

Since the start of the war, the High Representative has expressed concern about what he considers a battle of narratives by Moscow on the African continent. In Brussels they have insisted on teaching about the sanctions to make it clear to the African countries affected by the food crisis that it is not due to the European measures and to help them before possible collateral effects.

In June, community diplomacy sent letters to African countries and financial institutions to explain the operation of the European sanctions against Russia and thus combat Russian disinformation campaigns. The EU wants to be "proactive" to ensure that the world understands the Ukraine crisis in the same way as Europe and joins European initiatives at the United Nations and other bodies.

Several member states, including Spain, have been warning that Russia "is finding a perfect field of extension" in Africa, also in the military field where, either directly through its Army or through the private company Wagner, it has an important presence in countries like Mali, Libya or the Central African Republic.