Permanent Continent: Russia will help African countries enter the UN Security Council

Russia will help African countries enter the UN Security Council and support them in economic decolonization. Such messages were heard in Sergey Lavrov's speeches during his visit to Ethiopia. At the same time, the continent is not just a market for investments and business projects for Moscow, although there are already specific agreements here, in particular in the energy sector. First of all, the region and Ethiopia in particular are strategic allies for Russia, which, together with Moscow, are ready to build a multipolar world. And the position of many states in the region in relation to the Ukrainian crisis only confirms this: Western narratives do not work everywhere here.

Security in Ethiopia

Sergey Lavrov began his African tour with a visit to Ethiopia, the demographic giant of the continent, where more than 130 million people live. Addis Ababa, which is deservedly called the "political capital" of the region, breaks the usual stereotypes from the very first minutes. The city, where the headquarters of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa are based, is now able to compete on equal terms with many megacities of the world.

"Over the past six months, the capital has changed dramatically: slums are being actively demolished here, and the city is being extensively modernized," says one of the accompanying Russian journalists.

Although it is definitely not worth idealizing the situation: according to the World Bank, the poverty rate in Ethiopia is about 43% (with an income below $3.65 per day per person). There are still a lot of contrasting pictures on the streets of the metropolis - for example, when a young woman in a traditional white dress feeds an infant right on the asphalt. And on the main street, young girls with children in their arms approach a bus with foreigners in the hope of getting money.

Nevertheless, the situation in the capital is calm: there are no reinforced military patrols or bans on nightlife. Even the later relocation of the Russian delegation from the airport did not require special security measures. And the romantic photo shoot of a young couple at midnight involuntarily forced many participants of the trip to relax their vigilance. Although it is still not worth traveling alone in the city at night, however, the same recommendation can be obtained in the United States or some European countries.

On the scale of the vast Ethiopia, the situation in the regions is strikingly different. Due to the acute security problems, the last parliamentary elections could not be held everywhere: voting in the rebellious northern Tigray and a number of other states had to be postponed, and the central authorities still do not fully control the entire territory of the country. Despite the peace agreement that ended the bloody war of 2020-2022, regional structures in the north are forcibly mobilizing the population, and government troops are deployed to the administrative borders.

An explosive situation has developed in Oromia, which occupies most of southern and central Ethiopia. There are also difficulties on the border with Sudan. The complex internal architecture of the state was largely predetermined by the constitution of 1995, which created a comprehensive federal structure that provides for the right of peoples to self-determination, including secession, Nikita Panin, an expert at the HSE African Studies Center, told Izvestia.

Nevertheless, the difficult internal political situation in the country is not felt in Addis Ababa. The only caveat is that the topics of internal conflicts are strongly discouraged from being raised in conversations with the local population.

In the city, the famous amoeba is traditionally considered the main invisible enemy of any foreigner. Ingested through unfiltered water, this parasite causes severe dysentery with a debilitating fever.

— Most people get infected when they come for a longer period — at least for a month. The chance of getting sick in two or three days is not that high," one of the escorts hastened to reassure the journalists.

In addition, the unique climate largely saves the participants from the risks of being left without drinking water. Addis Ababa is one of the highest—altitude capitals in the world, and the July weather here is moderate. This eliminates the need to constantly buy water on the streets, which significantly reduces the risk of infection when moving between government facilities and offices of international organizations.

Negotiations with the African Union

One of the most notable buildings in the city is the headquarters of the African Union (AU). The height of the main tower of the complex, which locals call the "candle" for its characteristic silhouette, is exactly 99.9 m. This is a direct reference to the historical date of September 9, 1999, when the leaders of the states signed the Sirte Declaration on the creation of the union. On the square in front of the main entrance to the conference center, a huge hemispherical building resembling a spaceship, today stands a monument to Haile Selassie I, the last Ethiopian emperor, who is considered the main founding father of the organization.

The Russian Minister's work program began with a meeting with Chairman of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Yusuf. Due to the scale of its supranational powers, this position is often referred to in diplomatic circles as the African equivalent of Ursula von der Leyen's post in the EU. However, this is where the similarities with Brussels end.

While officials in the European Union defiantly refuse to contact Moscow, in the "political capital" of Africa, the Russian delegation is warmly welcomed and at the highest level. The negotiations with Mahmoud Ali Yusuf clearly demonstrate that the West's attempts to achieve international isolation of the Russian Federation have completely failed in the Global South.

The talks between the Russian Minister and the head of the AU Commission were held in the most friendly atmosphere. And this is not surprising, since Sergey Lavrov has personally known Mahmoud Ali Yusuf since he headed the foreign Ministry of Djibouti. The main message of the Russian side at this meeting is its willingness to help in the process of "economic decolonization" of African countries, which still do not receive income commensurate with their enormous natural resources.

Russia and the African Union act here as natural partners in building a multipolar world. In this regard, the Russian Foreign Minister emphasized that he expects Mahmoud Ali Yusuf to personally participate in the third Russia—Africa summit, which will be held in Moscow in October 2026.

The Russian Federation has consistently advocated granting African states two permanent seats on the UN Security Council with full veto power. At the same time, Lavrov emphasized the absence of the need to expand the Security Council at the expense of Western countries, which are already actively represented in this body. It is noteworthy that Ethiopia itself, along with the recognized leaders of the region, is considered one of the main contenders for this status.

The meeting also discussed in detail acute international and regional conflicts, including the Palestinian problem, the Ukrainian crisis and the escalation in the Middle East. The latter directly affected the interests of Africa, seriously complicating the supply of Russian fertilizers to the continent due to the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz. Lavrov expressed gratitude to the leadership of the African Union for its balanced position and refusal to perceive global processes through the prism of Western interpretations. For his part, Yusuf stressed that African countries have the opportunity to form their own opinions about the ongoing processes in the world.

The Russian Foreign Minister reminded the African audience that sweeping accusations against Russia are far from a new phenomenon. During the final press conference, the minister drew parallels between current events and past propaganda campaigns by the West. He stressed that today's claims are on a par with incidents that have not been fully investigated, recalling the cases of the Skripals, Litvinenko, as well as the events in Bucha. In this context, Addis Ababa has once again confirmed its status as an ideal platform from which Moscow can broadcast an alternative geopolitical agenda to the entire developing world.

Cultural proximity of Russia and Ethiopia

The bilateral track of the Minister's working trip also turned out to be as intense as possible. The schedule included meetings not only with his colleague Gideon Timotheos, but also with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Russia and Ethiopia have a foundation for building strong bilateral relations: the country can rightfully be called one of Russia's closest and most mentally understandable partners on the continent. It is the only traditionally Christian country in Africa where the majority of believers profess Orthodoxy. At the same time, Ethiopian Orthodoxy is imbued with Old Testament traditions more than any other Christian movement in the world. Therefore, they, for example, strictly do not eat pork and practice circumcision of male infants.

Russia also helped Ethiopia defend its independence at the end of the 19th century, including in the famous Battle of Adua against the Italians, and the USSR provided tremendous assistance in modernizing the republic in the 20th century. That is why to this day you can meet people in the country who remember the Russian language.

— There is a good historical memory here. They are very proud that they have never been colonized, and they remember the role of Russia, which helped them," one of the interlocutors told Izvestia.

In addition, Alexander Pushkin's great-grandfather, Abram Petrovich Hannibal, according to the most popular and supported version in Addis Ababa, was from these places. In the capital itself, the poet is sincerely considered "one of its own", and there is even a monument to him.

After Ethiopia joined the BRICS in 2024, its relations with the Russian Federation noticeably intensified, Ivan Loshkarev, associate professor of the Department of Political Theory at MGIMO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, noted in an interview with Izvestia. Nevertheless, the trade turnover between the two countries still leaves much to be desired, although it is showing steady growth. By the end of last year, it surpassed $400 million, while China's trade with this country exceeds $3 billion. It is obviously impossible to overtake China, but Russia is able to occupy certain niches in which Moscow is ahead of its competitors. This is primarily cooperation in the field of energy.

Rosatom's flagship project here is the construction of Ethiopia's first Russian-designed high-power nuclear power plant. For a country whose industry is 90% dependent on the vagaries of the weather and the water level at the Nile hydroelectric power plants, a peaceful atom is a matter of national security, guaranteeing stable light regardless of droughts.

At the same time, the parties are accelerating the creation of a Nuclear Science and Technology Center with a research reactor. If the station itself is a long—term prospect, then the scientific and technological center will yield practical results in the coming years: on its basis, Russian specialists will help to launch the production of medical isotopes for the treatment of cancer and complexes for radiation treatment of the famous Ethiopian coffee, which will significantly increase its shelf life before being exported.

The second strategic area is military—technical cooperation. Moscow is training the Ethiopian Navy, although the country lost access to the sea in 1993 after the separation of Eritrea. However, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed officially announced the restoration of the Naval Forces, and it was Russia that assumed a key role in training officers and personnel for this "land" fleet. Initially, in 2019, Ethiopia signed an agreement on the revival of its Navy with France — Abiy Ahmed and Emmanuel Macron personally signed the memorandum, and Paris promised to finance the project. However, the French have completely frozen this program in an attempt to exert political pressure on Addis Ababa due to the war in the Tigray region. As a result, the Ethiopian side severely severed contacts and shifted its focus to Russia, which accepted cadets into its naval universities without further ado, Ivan Loshkarev noted.

The results of Sergey Lavrov's visit clearly confirm that Ethiopia is today an important geopolitical player not only in East Africa, but also on the entire continent. Nevertheless, Moscow obviously does not have the task of turning Addis Ababa into its main African ally. Russia's strategy in the Global South is based on pragmatic diversification: recognizing Ethiopia's enormous weight, Russia is simultaneously developing equally deep ties with other states in the region. Reaching the finish line in the nuclear and military negotiations with Addis Ababa proves something else - in the face of Ethiopia, Moscow is forming a reliable and high—tech support hub, and the very turn to the South is becoming a long-term process for our diplomacy.