Musings From Abroad

Africans escaping Ukraine war hint at racist attacks but AU leaders unimpressed by denials

Published

3 years ago

March 4, 2022

The plight of Africans attempting to cross borders into safe haven amidst the recent Russian/Ukraine crisis has drawn reaction across boards with the latest from the African Union.

The current Chair of the African Union and President of the Republic of Senegal, Macky Sall, and Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission made the observations through a statement issued on February 28, 2022.

According to the statement, “Reports that Africans are singled out for unacceptable dissimilar treatment would be shockingly racist and in breach of international law. In this regard, the Chairpersons urge all countries to respect international law and show the same empathy and support to all people fleeing war notwithstanding their racial identity,” the statement reads in part.

The AU reaction came days after its European counterpart the European Union had condemned the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops, The EU labelled the attack as “barbaric” and condemned the cynical arguments to justify it.

Also reacting to reports of discrimination at the Ukraine/Poland borders, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari remarked that “All who flee a conflict situation have the same right to safe passage under the UN Convention, and the colour of their passport or their skin should make no difference”

Meanwhile, President Buhari has approved the sum of $8.5 million to evacuate at least 5,000 Nigerians who are stranded as a result of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Nigeria’s Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, announced this Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.

An unverified video shared by one Twitter user @Damilare_arah shows images of people of colour in some confrontation with some Caucasians in what has been alleged to be a fight over who boards a moving train at the Polish Ukraine border.

It was reported that three Nigerian students, Joseph, Eric and Francis, were among the tens of thousands of people who crossed from Ukraine into Poland on Monday.

One of the students, Joseph, a computer engineering student told newsmen “There is a lot of discrimination going on there, we actually had to beg people to take us to the border so we could find a way to escape.”

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Media now another theatre of war

However, Poland, which is one of the countries allowing entry for people fleeing the humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine and at the heart of the reported allegations of discriminating against Africans has denied been picky about receiving refugees.

In a report made available in the official Polish government website, it claimed “In recent days, false information about the alleged mistreatment of particular countries citizens by Polish and Ukrainian services has appeared in the public space. Manipulated photos and videos circulate on social media to discredit and tarnish the image of both Ukraine and Poland. The media have become another theatre of war, which is why we urge you not to be manipulated”.

“reports suggesting that Polish authorities are segregating refugees from Ukraine on the basis of race or religion are both false and outrageous.”

“Poland admits citizens of different countries in accordance with the existing procedures. We urge for prudence and to refrain from disseminating disinformation,” the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland said via Twitter.

As at press-time, 3 March 2022, the Polish government through the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland on Twitter claimed over 500,000 refugees have entered Poland since the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops.

Among Africans who have been living in Ukraine, there are students estimated in thousands. Available estimates suggest that roughly 20 per cent of Ukraine’s foreign students are African, including 4,000 Nigerians.

Related Topics:African nations AU Ukraine

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Musings From Abroad

UN Security Council deliberates stance on Sudan war

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The UN Security Council is discussing a British-drafted resolution calling on Sudan’s warring parties to stop hostilities and permit safe, quick, and unimpeded assistance supplies across borders and front lines.

The world’s largest relocation crisis began in April 2023 when the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces engaged in a power battle ahead of a planned transfer to civilian administration.

Waves of ethnically motivated violence have resulted, with the RSF mostly to blame. The RSF has blamed the action on rogue actors and denies causing harm to civilians in Sudan. Two RSF generals were named last week by a Security Council committee in the first U.N. sanctions levied during the ongoing conflict.

“Nineteen months into the war, both sides are committing egregious human rights violations, including the widespread rape of women and girls,” Britain’s U.N. ambassador, Barbara Woodward, told reporters at the start of this month as Britain assumed the Security Council’s presidency for November.

“More than half the Sudanese population are experiencing severe food insecurity,” she said. “Despite this, the SAF and the RSF remain focussed on fighting each other and not the famine and suffering facing their country.”

According to diplomats, Britain wants to vote on the draft resolution as soon as possible. A resolution must receive nine votes or more to pass and not be vetoed by the United States, France, Britain, Russia, or China.

Nearly 25 million people, or half of Sudan’s population, require aid, according to the U.N., since 11 million people have abandoned their homes and famine has spread to displacement camps. Of those, around 3 million have departed for other nations.

In its draft language, Britain “demands that the warring parties immediately cease hostilities” and “demands that the Rapid Support Forces immediately halt its offensives” throughout Sudan.

It also “calls on the parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate the full, safe, rapid, and unhindered crossline and cross-border humanitarian access into and throughout Sudan.”

Additionally, the draft urges that assistance deliveries continue to be made through the Adre border crossing with Chad “and stresses the need to sustain humanitarian access through all border crossings, while humanitarian needs persist, and without impediments.”

Sudanese authorities have permitted the U.N. and relief organisations to enter Darfur through the Adre border crossing for three months, ending in mid-November.

Musings From Abroad

South Africa worry Trump’s victory might affect climate fight

Published

5 days ago

November 10, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

South Africa’s environment minister has expressed concern about the potential effects of Donald Trump’s victory on climate change negotiations.

The demise of Germany’s coalition government this week and Trump’s election coincide with COP29 negotiations to address global warming, which experts credit for this year’s devastating hurricanes, floods, and heatwaves.

“We are concerned about America because we don’t know what they’re going to do … how (it) is going to approach COP,” South African Environment Minister Dion George told Reuters.

“Mr. Trump said that he would withdraw from the Paris Agreement, but we don’t know what will happen,” George added in a telephone interview on Friday.

International partners are concerned that the prospect of an administration led by Trump, who has called climate change a hoax, will de-motivate poor and middle-income countries who want rich nations to shoulder more of its financial burden.

South Africa, which is one of the world’s top 15 greenhouse gas emitters and accounts for 30% of the continent’s emissions, has accepted $11.6 billion from rich nations, mainly in loans, for a switch from coal to renewable energy.

This is seen as a potential model for other ‘Global South’ countries who say financing pledges of $100 billion, which took years to come through, are insufficient.

“It’s certainly not enough. We need another target,” George said. “But then the question is: as the voter base is shifting in developed economies, are they actually going to pay it?”

The South African minister said he had been reassured by German officials that Europe’s stance at the COP29 climate talks will not be hurt by Berlin’s political crisis.

George said that Jennifer Morgan, Germany’s state secretary for international climate action, had contacted him to say it will be up to the European Union to maintain leadership.

“Their position is not changed and that is how they will approach COP,” George said, adding: “They’re on Team Europe. The European Union and German have clearly set out their objectives.”