Lavrov expressed gratitude to African countries that did not join the sanctions

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed his gratitude to the African countries that did not join the Western sanctions, TASS writes.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the African partners who did not allow themselves to be drawn into the anti-Russian campaign and took a balanced position on the European security crisis,” the minister said.

According to him, Russia and African countries “as true friends” are building interaction “on the basis of equality, respect for international law, non-interference in internal affairs.” This, according to Lavrov, is “our fundamental difference from the collective West, which has not outlived its superiority complex and is striving to perpetuate neo-colonial practices.”

Since the beginning of the year, Lavrov went on a tour of African countries for the third time. He began his last series of visits on May 29 with a visit to Kenya. In Nairobi, he met with Speaker of the Kenyan National Assembly (lower house of parliament) Moses Wetangula, President William Ruto and his colleague Alfred Mutua. Following Kenya, Lavrov will visit Burundi, Mozambique and South Africa.

In early June, Lavrov accepted participation in the meeting of the foreign ministers of the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in Cape Town. Then the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the African country, Naledi Pandor, said that South Africa and Russia were continuing consultations on holding a BRICS summit.

May 30 Lavrov declaredthat Russia will soon supply Nigeria with a batch of fertilizers free of charge. The minister recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin announced back in September 2022 that he was ready to supply 300,000 tons of Russian fertilizers to countries in need free of charge. The European Union, according to Lavrov, in accordance with “colonial habits” boycotted this proposal.