According to an investigation by The Independent, Der Spiegel, Mediapart, and Radio France, Africans fleeing the war in Ukraine have been detained in closed facilities. The International Organisation for Migration said they were aware of three such facilities in Poland alone. Some detainees told reporters they did not have access to legal support or translation. The reporters also confirmed similar cases from Estonia and Austria.

Polish authorities confirmed that 52 third-country nationals who had fled from Ukraine were in detention. “There could be more”, one of the journalists said in an interview.

The double standards in the treatment of people fleeing the war has been repeatedly subject of criticism from African governments, international organisations and civil society.

Read the full investigation here.

Interview with one of the investigative journalists here.

As gas prices and income are expected to increase, Algeria is rolling out monthly payments of around 91 USD to job-seekers between the ages of 19 and 40. Around half a million people are eligible, a number that is set to increase according to a Bloomberg report. In the country with a high youth unemployment rate, young people have been discontent with their economic situation.

Read the full report by Bloomberg here.

The racism faced by African and others at the Ukraine border was, to many, nothing new. For South African website New Frame, Alex Čizmić talked to African expats about the life they built in Ukraine, the hardship they faced and how they tried to improve the country.

Read full article here.

Disrupted by the pandemic, state-owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Co. plans on resuming with auctions in April, preparing for record sales. As the company’s CEO tells Bloomberg, sanctions on Russian companies might result in increased demand for Zimbabwean gems.

Read about it here.

Nigeria has just opened what is said to be the continent’s biggest fertiliser plant. The site is to produce up to 3 million tonnes of Urea fertiliser per year. Opened by Billionaire Aliko Dangote, the plant is set to supply African and international markets, especially Brazil, which has been heavily reliant on Russian fertiliser. Russia’s Ukraine invasion has led to soaring fertiliser prices, threatening agricultural sectors worldwide.

Read the Reuters report here.

Business Insider report here.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, condemned discrimination, violence and racism amidst the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine in a statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. “We (...) bore witness to the ugly reality, that some Black and Brown people fleeing Ukraine – and other wars and conflicts around the world – have not received the same treatment as Ukrainian refugees”, Grandi said.

Read the UN report here.

For refugees.
For stateless people.
For internally displaced people.
For asylum seekers.

Racism is a serious threat to life, dignity and human rights.

We all have a responsibility to #FightRacism. pic.twitter.com/awRO4NPBIa — UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) March 21, 2022

Could African governments and the AU have done more to protect the continent’s and their citizens’ position in the war in Ukraine? Yes, according to recent commentary.

Nigerian journalist David Hundeyin argues that acting as a block of 54 countries could have given the African Union considerable leverage. And further: “Acting together would have also enabled African governments to extract guarantees from Ukraine and its neighbors regarding the treatment of fleeing African foreign students seeking refuge.”

Before that, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu commented that “Between the Pentecostal prayerfulness of Nigeria, the pusillanimity of South Africa, and the manifest Pilatism of the African Union, the continent’s leadership offers neither ideas on geo-strategic impact of the war on the continent nor succour to the Africans caught up in it.” Consequently, he argues that by failing to act decisively, African governments had left their own people down.

Read David Hundeyin’s commentary here.

Read Chidi Anselm Odinkalu’s commentary here.

Egypt is amongst the countries that have been heavily reliant on wheat imports from Ukraine and Russia. From its 60 % imported grain, an overwhelming majority has been from the warring parties. Amidst the price increase, the government has fixed the price of bread.

At the same time, the Egyptian currency has dropped by more than 10% against the US-Dollar as the country battles with inflation.

Report on bread price fix here.

Report on inflation here.

The US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield granted an interview with Africa News where she discussed the impact of the conflict on African countries and seeking African collaboration.

Read full here.

In the wake of the UN vote and South Africa’s recent comments this opinion piece by Tafi Mhaka on al-Jazeera insists that Africa should not help Putin whitewash his actions.

“Of course, the hospitals and schools that have been reduced to rubble, the civilians sheltering in makeshift bunkers in basements, the thousands who lost their lives including many innocent children, are evidence enough that Putin is not a “man of peace” by any stretch of the imagination.”

Read full here.

The VOA has a report on mercenaries who’ve been working in African countries may be heading to Ukraine to take part in Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.

You can view the report here.

South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has explicitly taken a side in the Ukraine conflict by blaming NATO, casting doubt as to whether or not he should be called to mediate.

This is the strongest statement Ramaphosa has made on the conflict. It can be recalled that South Africa has come under some criticism for its seemingly lukewarm stance on Russia

Also worth a read: this on South Africa, Russia and imperial gratitude. Read here.

Speaking at London’s Chatham House, Kenyan Presidential candidate Raila Odinga affirms his support for the sanctions against Russia, even though he says that it will cost Kenya $100 million.

His comments echo Kenya’s UN Permanent Representative Martin Kimani’s strong statement at the UN over a week ago.

You can view Odinga’s comments on this and more here.

While there have been evacuations of African students organized by their different home countries and with help from Ukraine’s neighbors, not everyone is back home. Vice News has a report on the African students who are still stuck in a Russian-held city in Ukraine, and want to go home.

Read morehere.

Analysts have raised alarm raised alarm over the impact of rising food prices in Africa and elsewhere due to the Ukraine conflict

As a result, the African Development Bank has announced plans to raise U.S.$1 billion to strengthen food security on the continent.

Meanwhile, the Russian ambassador to Kenya has dismissed concerns of rising food prices, and black U.S. and EU sanctions on Russia instead. Learn more here.

Writing in the World Politics Review, James Hamill, a lecturer at the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Leicester, asserts that South Africa has chosen a side in the Ukraine conflict, and not necessarily the right one.

“South Africa’s foreign policy has been on a long, downward ethical trajectory since the Mandela era, when the promotion of democracy and human rights were viewed as benchmarks against which the country’s international engagements would be assessed. Even so, Pretoria’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 still represents a nadir in its post-1994 foreign policy.” Read full here .

South African analysts have also been vocal about the impact of the conflict on the local economy, from food to property prices. Learn more here.

While there are lots of stories of young African and other students fleeing Ukraine in the wake of the conflict, there’s a trickle of young Africans going to Ukraine to fight.

An example of one such person is Keteri Usoroh, a young Nigerian lawyer who insists his desire to fight for Ukraine is not motivated by a desire to live outside the country. “This is about beating a bully - injustice for one is injustice for all." Read more here.

It should be recalled that the Ukrainian government having to backpedal on the initial call for foreigners, especially since countries like Nigeria and Senegal made statements in the wake of that call summoning their Ukrainian ambassadors.

See here.

Foreign Policy’s Nosmot Gbadamosi summarises which African countries are ready to ramp up gas production to meet increased European demand.

While construction on a trans-Saharan gas pipeline is only moving slowly, Algeria has been increasing its supply. The article looks at the major challenges to increasing production, including security and financing.

Read the full report in Foreign Policy’s Africa Brief here.

Two weeks ago, the Russian ministry of foreign affairs shared a statement celebrating 30 years of Russian-South African relations. However, the statement also included events further in the past, for example the Soviet Union’s support in the struggle against Apartheid.

Russia can only claim a part of Soviet-South African relations, Ukraine another. For the website Africa is a Country, Hilary Lynd looks at this complicated past beyond the celebratory words, including the memory of former African students and soldiers who lived both in Soviet Russia and the Ukraine Soviet Socialist Republic.

Read the full story here.

South Africa is among the countries — including China and Turkey — enlisted to lead the peace process for the Ukraine-Russia conflict. This analysis in First Post goes over what’s at stake and what South Africa can bring to the process.

Read more here.

Ukraine is a global exporter of wheat, so many countries are bracing for higher prices of bread. Bread is a staple in many African countries, and this Quartz Africa article says that wheat importers across the continent should be holding their breath.

Read more here.

Chris Ogunmodede writes in World Politics Review of the intricacy of Africa’s position and stance where Russia-Ukraine conflict is concerned.

“This U.S.-led order, its proponents argue, has brought unprecedented stability, peace and prosperity to the world since 1945, despite threats posed by adversaries like the Soviet Union and later Russia, and more recently China. An unintended consequence of Putin’s march into Ukraine, they argue, is the reinvigoration of what is often described as a rules-based system that enshrines norms like multilateralism, and is shored up by alliances like NATO and institutions like the United Nations and the EU. But this order has been regarded by many in the Global South, including Africa, as a framework that reflects and advances the interests and preferences of a narrow group of nations—most prominently the U.S. and its European allies, and more recently the rich, industrialized countries of Asia.”

Read more here.

Chris Ogunmodede writes in World Politics Review of the intricacy of Africa’s position and stance where Russia-Ukraine conflict is concerned.

“This U.S.-led order, its proponents argue, has brought unprecedented stability, peace and prosperity to the world since 1945, despite threats posed by adversaries like the Soviet Union and later Russia, and more recently China. An unintended consequence of Putin’s march into Ukraine, they argue, is the reinvigoration of what is often described as a rules-based system that enshrines norms like multilateralism, and is shored up by alliances like NATO and institutions like the United Nations and the EU. But this order has been regarded by many in the Global South, including Africa, as a framework that reflects and advances the interests and preferences of a narrow group of nations—most prominently the U.S. and its European allies, and more recently the rich, industrialized countries of Asia.”

Read more here.

In this open in Eurasia Review, Kester Klomagh wonders how the Ukrainian conflict will shape African countries’ relationships with Moscow going forward.

“Since his appointment, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has repeatedly stressed in all his speeches and with almost all African delegations the traditional and friendly relationship between Russia and African countries. He adores mentioning that the time-tested relationship characterized by a high level of mutual trust and more democratic polycentric world order, and that Russia and Africa closely cooperate on significant questions at the United Nations.”

Read more here.

Jayati Ghosh writes in Project Syndicate why the war is so bad for developing countries. Here again, we see concern for countries’ fiscal health and how the prices of everything — from gas to food — could continue to soar.

Read more here.

Quartz is also reporting something along these lines as well

Food prices are already going up and affecting everyone, including North Africa and South Africa and elsewhere.

Vijaya Ramachandran of Breakthrough Institute writes an op-ed in Foreign Policy Magazine saying that Germany needs to divest Russian gas in an effort to build African gas sector.

“But while renewable energy production will be part of a long-term solution, the idea that it can replace Russian oil and gas quickly and at scale is disingenuous at best—and disastrous for Western economies and consumers at worst.”

Read more here.

Ukraine has come under some criticism for trying to recruit Africans for their fight against Russia but Russia is also doing the same thing. The country claims to have recruited thousands of fighters from the Middle East and Central African Republic.

Read more here.

President Ramaphosa’s lukewarm stance seems to be regarded as an advantage. The South African government says that it has been approached to help mediate the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Read more here.

Weighing Africa’s diplomatic stance, Abhishek Mitra writes in Observer Research Foundation that African countries have many opportunities and risks to navigate in the coming months, as a fallout of the conflict.

Read more here.

African countries have been slowly but steadily ferrying their students to safety. 10 South African students have now returned to their country, with another 25 to return in the coming days, fleeing the Ukrainian conflict. Students from Nigeria, Uganda and Ghana have also been returning in batches.

Read more here.

This is not to say that everyone enjoyed the prospects of a return to their home country, however. Ghanaian medical students, for example, are to continue their studies in Grenada. Many others among the students fleeing seek to go to other EU countries.

Read more here.

African Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors met with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and UNECA to discuss the impact of the crisis in Ukraine on their financial support.

Read more here.

The crisis has had a ripple effect on African countries’ access to financing, and there has been concern that it will hamper the global economy’s ability to more fully bounce back from COVID-19.

Learn more here.

Along the same line, this article in Voice of America ponders the role China might have in shielding African countries from the worst impacts. See the thread below on its impact on aid disbursements.

Read the full article here.

Donors have warned that Burkina Faso’s aid will be cut by 70%, endangering access to education programs in the country. The UN has also only received 6% of the funds meant to provide relief to those impacted by drought in Somalia. BBC Africa Editor Will Ross counts these and other costs of Ukrainian conflict in this brief thread.

One man went to war and .... aid agencies in Burkina Faso warn donors cutting funding by 70% to support their operations in Ukraine. 1.7 million have been displaced by jihadist violence in B Faso. Children forced out of education. — will ross (@willintune) March 10, 2022

Craig Moffat of the South African Mail and Guardian reckons that the Ukrainian conflict holds some opportunities for African countries, specifically with regards repositioning itself in global markets.

Read full here.

The Chinese newspaper Xinhua reported on a call between the AU and Russian President Putin wherein the African leaders called for a “lasting ceasefire”.

Read the full report here.

Relatedly, the Russian government seems to be reviewing their strategy for investments in Africa in the wake of their conflict with Ukraine.

“According to official reports, the popular Russian perception is that Africa is a promising market for Russia and information data obtained from the Industry and Trade Ministry, Russia has only four trade missions in Africa – in Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and South Africa. In addition, several interviews and research indicated that the Russian expert community advocates for strengthening business relations with Africa, and for example sees fruits, tea, coffee from the EU countries can be replaced with products from African countries.”

More here.

Not everyone is pleased with the prospect of Russia and Africa getting closer, though. In The Conversation, analysts highlight the Ukrainian conflict as proof that Russia can be destablizing force on the continent.

Learn more here.

As the world worries about the pinch of rising gas prices, analysts say we need to brace ourselves for rising food prices as well. The Zimbabwe and BBC both echo fears of how Russia’s attack on Ukraine, known for its agricultural production, will hurt the pockets of households around the world..

Along the lines of the concern over rising food prices, analysts are also concerned about how this newly higher cost of food could impact food aid.

Read more here (in French).

This analysis holds that Ghana shows the ways in which Ghana can be impacted by rising food and gas prices.

Read the full article here.

South Africa has been on the receiving end of EU and US pressure following their abstention from voting in condemnation of Ukraine and President Ramaphosa’s comments saying that the West did not do enough to de-escalate things in the wake of Russia’s attack, while condemning the violence.

Why is South Africa’s government reluctant to condemn Russia? Find out here.

Also worth reading: South Africa’s Minister of Transport Mbalula Fikile had inexplicably tweeted that he was in Russia on Saturday, 12 days after the Russian invasion, without context even though there was footage that he was actually not. This same minister retweeted the Russian Embassy in South Africa’s tweet where they repeated the Russian messaging that the attack on Ukraine was to stop the fascism that had taken root in the country.

Read more here.

The Russian Wagner Group has been working with governments in Mali and the Central Africa Republic on internal security matters. To learn more about them, read this article in The Economist.

Read the full article here.

Analysts contend that South Africa’s property market should brace itself for impact in the wake of the Ukrainian conflict.

Read the full article here.

Meanwhile, the German Ambassador to South Africa is stern in his rebuke of Russia’s claims that it’s aggression in Ukraine is to fight fascism.

Read the full article here.

France is welcoming African students into their country following their well-documented challenges in escaping the conflict. It can be recalled that members of the French parliament wrote a letter to their ministry of Foreign Affairs expressing support for the African Students and sympathy for the racism they have faced in the wake of Russia’s aggression on Ukraine.

Read the full article here.

Analysts continue to raise concerns on impact on the conflict on food prices and trade in Africa.

Read the full article here.

This piece in particular warns that North Africa and the Middle East should brace themselves.

Learn more here.

As food prices could rise due to the war, Jeune Afrique’s Estelle Maussion looks at two strategies West African countries can adapt to dampen the shock.

First proposition is a speedy increase of local food production, as has happened in Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Senegal. Second is to fill food stocks, for example via the regional reserves established by the Community of Western African States (ECOWAS/CEDEAO).

Read the full article here[French].

The AU Permanent Mission in Brussels held a meeting from which a statement was developed late on Friday. You can read the statement in its entirety here.

The reports of African students facing racism as they try to flee the Ukrainian conflict, with harrowing stories all over social media of racism by Ukrainians and viral videos, continues to put pressure on Ukrainian authorities and African governments alike. Over the weekend, Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Goeffrey Onyeama announced his Ukrainian counterpart’s approval for a humanitarian corridor to allow for the evacuation of all Nigerian students.

1/2 Deep gratitude to @DmytroKuleba, Foreign Minister of Ukraine for approval given, as promised, to establish humanitarian corridor and authorize evacuation of Nigerian students from Sumy starting tomorrow. — Geoffrey Onyeama (@GeoffreyOnyeama) March 6, 2022

Lighthouse Reports Managing Director Daniel Howden has a thread worth reading on refugee policy on Europe.

Read more here.

In response to the uproar against racial discrimination on Ukraine’s borders, French parliamentarians have written to their Ministry of Foreign Affairs in pursuit of fair, equitable treatment of African and Asian refugeees fleeing the conflict.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Clémentine Autain (@clementineautain)

Nigerian start-up clients to Mercury, a new bank specially for small businesses have recieved blanket suspensions due to regulations imposed on Russia. As Abubakar Idris writes for Rest of World, “unprecedented sanctions imposed on Russian financial institutions following the country’s invasion of Ukraine have spurred banks to review accounts in “high-risk” jurisdictions worldwide. When this happens, African companies are often caught up.”

Read more here.

Western media coverage of the plight of African students in Ukraine continue. This time, a story from CS Monitor:

“Ukraine’s foreign ministry initially dismissed allegations of racism by border officials as “Russian disinformation.” But as both the number of reported incidents – and an ensuing backlash, which has been particularly ferocious on social media – continued to increase, Ukraine’s foreign ministry said March 3 it had set up an emergency hotline specially for African and Asian students”.

You can read more here.

Also, a plane full of Nigerian students arrived in Abuja today. Premium Times made a video with interviews of these students where they recounted their stories.

There’s also a story in Refinery29 chronicling African students’ stories. See here.

South Africa has been lukewarm in its reaction to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, and has come under some pressure from the EU and the US. A day after calling for Russia to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that Joe Biden should have agreed to an unconditional meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to avert war. The US has added to the EU’s pressure, seeking a strong, unified stance against Russia.

Read more here.

You can read more about South Africa’s considerations as they mull their stance here.

Ukrainian government has issued a call for volunteers from other countries to join in the fight against Russia, promising citizenship and other benefifs. Nigerians who are considering the offer, though, would need to consider what might be a hefty upfront cost.

Read more here.

The Ukrainian conflict still has many moving parts, but there’s already been a fair amount of analysis on what it means for African countries’ economies, military partnerships, and more. The latest one is this analysis in Africa News.

Read more here.

Following the conflict, African countries are now chartering flights from Ukrainian neighbor countries to take their students back home. 76 Algerian students have now returned to their country, and Ghanaian students and footballers have also been flown to safety.

Read more here(French).

The Executive Director on Global Policy at ONE Campaign shared his thoughts on the economic and humanitarian implications of the Ukrainian conflict on Africa in an illuminating thread.

See tweet thread here.

The Ukrainian government has said it’s seeking recruiters to join them in their fight against Russia. The embassy in Senegal has even set up a Facebook page calling on volunteers, much to Senegal’s displeasure.

See tweet here.

There were 76,000 international students in Ukraine in 2020. While roughly 20,000 came from India, a quarter came from Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt. If you were wondering, “why Ukraine?”, BBC’s new report gives you a sense of why Ukraine was an attractive destination for these young people and what happens now with these young people’s academic future.

Read more here.

With the humane treatment and warm welcome of Ukrainian refugees into parts of the EU, this essay in the New Yorker asks: might this be an opportunity for more human refugee policies for everyone?

Link here.

The plight of African students is getting more coverage. This time, a piece in the Foreign Policy Magazine.

Link here.

The BBC’s Africa Daily podcast’s latest episode chronicles African students’ experiences in Ukraine during the conflict and what their governments are doing to help them.

Link here.

Analysts see the Ukrainian conflict as a mixed bag of risks and economic opportunities for African countries. While Angola is feeling the heat of higher wheat prices, Mozambique seems ready to benefit the rising gas prices.

Read full report here.

Majority of UN countries condemned the aggression against Ukraine in a vote yesterday, but not all African countries did. Russia’s growing influence on the continent may point to why.

Read here and here.

Global oil prices already skyrocketed in 2021 following the recovery of the global economy from the COVID-19 pandemic. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has now caused another price increase, and African countries are already feeling the pinch.

Read full report here.

Ugandan students are among the many trying to flee Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s recent aggression.

“The ministry has given instructions to its missions in Berlin, Moscow, and the Honorary Consul in Hungary to keep in constant contact with Ugandans in Ukraine until a workable solution is found," the statement from the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs reads in part.

Read more here.

With the Ukrainian airspace closed, some 1,000 tourists are stuck in Zanzibar, unable to return home.

Read more here.

The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution reprimanding Russia over the invasion of Ukraine and calling for its immediate withdrawal. 141 of the 193 members voted in favour of the resolution, passed at a rare emergency session. Five countries, including Russia, Belarus and Syria voted against, 35 countries abstained, including China.

African votes have been mixed, with Rwanda, Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire voting in favour of the resolution and others, such as Uganda, South Africa and Mali abstaining. Eritrea was the only African country voting against.

The resolution is not binding, however, it is said to increase diplomatic pressure on Russia.

Reuters full story here.

In historic "Uniting for Peace" session, #UNGA adopts resolution demanding that the Russian Federation immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine and withdraw its military forces. https://t.co/xWc4QO8ruV pic.twitter.com/NZ5xG7Cfu2 — United Nations (@UN) March 2, 2022

The Rwandan daily newspaper The New Times reports that more than 50 Rwandans have evacuated from Ukraine, citing a government statement. Another 15 are believed to be stranded in active conflict areas. The newspaper had also reported about the situation in the city of Sumy, bordering Russia, whose inhabitants are stuck.

Link to the report here.

About the situation in Sumy. See link here.

“Africans seeking evacuation are our friends and need to have equal opportunities to return to their home countries safely”, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted on Tuesday and wrote that his government would “solve the problem”.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has affected Ukrainians and non-citizens in many devastating ways. Africans seeking evacuation are our friends and need to have equal opportunities to return to their home countries safely. Ukraine’s government spares no effort to solve the problem. — Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 1, 2022

1,534 Maroccans have left Ukraine, the Moroccan News Agency MAP reports, citing the foreign ministry. The number is expected to rise. The ministry also sent 20 consular officials to assist in the evacuation.

Read the full report here.

According to daily newspaper The Ghana Times, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) called on both parties to turn to diplomacy.

“ECOWAS strongly condemns this action and calls for both parties to stop the fighting and use dialogue to solve their differences in the interest of peace in this region,” the statement reads.

Furthermore, the economic community urges all involved parties to ensure the safety of its citizens.

Link here.

“The idea that war is a thing that happens in lands outside of the West is beyond myopic”, writes the kenya-based Foreign Press Association Africa in a statement published on Tuesday. The journalist organisation criticises Western coverage that repeatedly contrasts the situation in Ukraine to wars in poorer countries, representing the latter as more prone and habituated to violence. The organisation cautions that news coverage has real consequences not only in how people relate to one another, but also in policies. Diversity in leadership is urgently needed, the statement continues, as well as a “a moment of reckoning to make journalism better.”

Tweet link here.

More reports about the situation for Africans amongst those escaping the war in Ukraine are still coming in. Nigerian student Jessica, who has made it to Hungary, tells BBC Africa about the arduous journey to the Polish border.

“The problem is at the Ukrainian Border”, she says, recalling how officials denied black people entry to a bus shuttle between a shelter and the border, adding an eight hour walk to their journey. “They don’t care; they will push you, they will beat you. If you can make it, if you don’t, you don’t.”

One video shared on social media shows security services raising their guns at a group of African students trying to reach the border.

'They said if you're black, you should walk'

Nigerian student Jessica has kept in touch with us about her journey out of Ukraine. She is among the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the country, and one of many #AfricansinUkraine who have described facing racism at borders. pic.twitter.com/OTTx6wxVDY — BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) March 1, 2022

At an extraordinary UN Security Council meeting on the war in Ukraine, representatives of Kenya, Ghana and Gabon condemned the racist treatment of Africans at the Ukraine border.

“In the unfolding emergency, there have been disturbing reports about the racist treatment of Africans and people of African descent seeking to flee Ukraine to safety … We strongly condemn this racism and believe that it is damaging to the spirit of solidarity that is so urgently needed today”, Kenyan Ambassador to the UN, Martin Kimani, said Monday and further: “The mistreatment of African peoples on Europe's borders needs to cease immediately, whether to the Africans fleeing Ukraine or to those crossing the Mediterranean”. At the same time, Kimani thanked the bordering countries for allowing Kenyan citizens visa-free entry.

Gabon’s UN ambassador joined in the sentiment, calling the reports “unacceptable”.

Carolyn Oppong-Ntiri, Ghanaian Deputy Ambassador to the UN, called for the facilitation of fleeing people "without discrimination … including medical care in line with the principles of humanity, neutrality, and impartiality", according to CNN.

CNN article here

Read the full Security Council meeting minutes here

According to Kenyan newspaper The Standard, the government negotiated for unrestricted entry of Kenyans into neighbouring EU countries. The report states that 79 Kenyan students have been safely evacuated so far.

Link to the report here

Kenya says it has negotiated for unrestricted entry of Kenyans into the neighboring EU states, a request that was honored by Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania that Kenyans cross their borders via simplified procedure. — Sarah Kimani (@sarahkimani) March 1, 2022

Russia marks its 30 years partnership with South Africa with a statement published by the foreign ministry. Business Insider South Africa reports that the ministry enumerates the long lasting ties, including the Soviet Union’s support in the struggle against Apartheid and more recent initiatives, such as the BRICS partnership. The statement does not mention South Africa’s recent criticism of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

However, the exact stance of South Africa’s government on the war is unclear, as ANC-leaders had made diverging statements.

Read the full report here

"As a member of the Ukrainian diaspora whose family arrived in the UK as refugees from a previous war, the invasion is close and painful. In the face of this turmoil, I cannot express my appreciation at the outpourings of solidarity I’ve seen and my relief that the journeys of my loved ones who choose to flee may be slightly eased by neighbouring countries who recognise their plight and their humanity" writes Elena Liber for African Arguments.

Liber observes that the same governments welcoming Ukrainian refugees now are at the same time denying others that entry. From the barbed wire in Hungary and Poland to the border guards of Italy obstructing rescue efforts in the Mediterranean sea – Liber calls for a solidarity with all those seeking safety – not only white Europeans.

Read the full article here

French international news broadcaster RFI has summarised topics covered by the media on the African continent.

First and foremost is the evacuation of Africans in Ukraine and at the borders. There had been reports of students stuck at the borders. Second topic is the silence of African governments when it comes to the war – reasons warry from adopting neutrality to a strategic alignment with Russia. Finally, some observers cast an eye on possible domino effects of the war on energy supply as well as increasing wheat prices.

Read the full article here [French]

By now, hundreds of thousands of refugees from Ukraine have been welcomed by neighbouring countries, with millions more expected to come as the war unfolds.

Reports of Africans and other non-European students being turned down and stalled at train stations and the borders indicate a larger racism problem, as people fleeing war are not being treated equally.

A Washington Post article summarises how at the onset of Russia-Ukraine war, there has been a shift in rhetoric around refugees – both from politicians and the media.

Read the full article here

The African Union has expressed “extreme concern” about the conflict in Ukraine, but it is worth noting that there has not been strongly worded criticism of Russia itself. This might be because Russia has been expanding its influence on the continent. Mali, for example, has signed a military cooperation agreement with Russia, and the Central Africa Republic and Mozambique have also engaged with Russia’s army in recent years. See link

As such, not as many countries have followed Kenya’s recent comments strongly denouncing Russia’s actions at the UN Security Council. You can learn more about Russia’s military partnerships in Africa here

Energy and Commodities columnist at Bloomberg Javier Blas shares that Shell is exiting all its joint-ventures with the Russian gas giant Gazprom, including its 27.5% stake in the Sakhalin-2 LNG facility. Shell carries those joint ventures at $3 billion valuation on its books.

BREAKING: And wow!!! After BP, the deluge. Shell announces it's exiting all its joint-ventures with Gazprom, including its 27.5% stake in the Sakhalin-2 LNG facility. Shell carries those JV at $3 billion valuation on its books, and it's warning of impartments #Ukraine — Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) February 28, 2022

Given that Africa has a few OPEC countries in its midst, worth seeing what moves get made. As shared below, Algeria is already gearing up.

While South Africa does not have many trade links with Russia, a new research note suggests that the country will be looking to see what impact the conflict and the cancellation of Nord Stream 2 might have on real GDP growth in the region.

Link here

It’s early days yet, but the Ukrainian conflict is already shedding light on the role of globalism today. In this analysis, David Monda in the South African Mail and Guardian considers three take-aways for Africa so far. Among these, he posits that diplomacy is a major barrier to the unilateralism of major powers.

“…The protests to Russia’s actions from Brazil, South Africa, India, and China did nothing to dissuade it from invading Ukraine.

Neither did the condemnation from African non-permanent members of the Security Council such as Kenya, Ghana, or Mali. Protests from the chair of the African Union Macky Sall and the chair of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Malamat were also ignored. When push comes to shove, major powers like Russia will unapologetically pursue their national interests unilaterally with no regard for multilateral diplomacy. Might trumps right. “

Read full here

With the EU cutting off gas ties with Russia, African firm will see an opportunity for entrance into new markets. In The Africa Report, Algerian firm Sonatrach expresses readiness to fulfill EU’s gas demand.

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African Arguments' recently published analyses shares the concern that conflict could have some implications on rising food prices.

“African countries imported agricultural products worth $4 billion from Russia in 2020. About 90% of this was wheat, and 6% was sunflower oil. Major importing countries were Egypt, which accounted for nearly half of the imports, followed by Sudan, Nigeria, Tanzania, Algeria, Kenya and South Africa.”

African countries import billions worth of global #grains and oilseed from #Russia and #Ukraine. #Prices have already been soaring. https://t.co/JIF8NltyDt — African Arguments (@africaarguments) February 28, 2022