JOHANNESBURG (AP) —Russia and China will hold naval drills in the Indian Ocean off the coast of South Africa next month. This is another sign that their relationships with Africa’s most developed nation are getting stronger in light of the conflict in Ukraine and uncertainty in the global financial system.
From February 17 to 27, off South Africa’s east coast, near the cities of Durban and Richards Bay, the South African armed forces announced that they will participate in “a multinational maritime exercise” alongside the Russian and Chinese navies.
The drills, which will take place on the 24th of February, one year to the day after Russia invaded Ukraine, will focus more on China and Russia’s push for global influence and South Africa’s refusal to stand with the West and condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Additionally, the announcement comes just a few days before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to visit South Africa and meet with his counterpart in South Africa, Naledi Pandor.
The upcoming naval drills have led the country’s main opposition party to accuse the government of effectively siding with Russia, despite the fact that the government of South Africa has stated that it takes a neutral stance regarding Ukraine and has called for dialogue and diplomacy.
Trending News AP Top 25 Movies Davos World Economic Forum NFL Playoffs Russia-Ukraine War Search Russia and China to hold naval drills off South Africa Yesterday File – South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor speaks to members of the media in Pretoria, South Africa, on August 8, 2022. In light of the conflict in Ukraine and the uncertainty surrounding the global financial system, Russia and China will hold naval drills in the Indian Ocean off the coast of South Africa in February 2023. This is another sign that their relationships with Africa’s most developed nation are getting stronger. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, file) ADVERTISEMENT JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Russia and China will conduct naval drills in the Indian Ocean off the coast of South Africa next month, in another indication of their strengthening relationships with Africa’s most developed country amid the war in Ukraine and global financial uncertainty. The announcement also comes days before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to visit South Africa and hold talks with South African counterpart Pandor.
From February 17 to 27, off South Africa’s east coast, near the cities of Durban and Richards Bay, the South African armed forces announced that they will participate in “a multinational maritime exercise” alongside the Russian and Chinese navies.
The drills, which will take place on the 24th of February, one year to the day after Russia invaded Ukraine, will focus more on China and Russia’s push for global influence and South Africa’s refusal to stand with the West and condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Additionally, the announcement comes just a few days before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is scheduled to visit South Africa and meet with his counterpart in South Africa, Naledi Pandor.
Advertising The South African government has said that it is neutral regarding Ukraine and has called for dialogue and diplomacy. However, the upcoming naval drills have led the country’s main opposition party to say that the government is actually siding with Russia.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR Defense leaders meet over disagreements about tanks for Ukraine. The EU Assembly wants a special court for Russia’s war in Ukraine. UNESCO wants to stop the trade in stolen Ukrainian art. Facts and unanswered questions The South African government claims to have called for the end of the war and denies having taken sides.
However, the naval exercise scheduled for next month, according to the South African National Defense Force, which includes all of the country’s armed forces, will “strengthen the already flourishing relations between South Africa, Russia, and China.” The SANDF stated that “sharing operational skills and knowledge” was the purpose of the drills.
The three nations also held a similar naval exercise in Cape Town in 2019, and Russia and China held joint naval drills last month in the East China Sea.
One of several African nations that abstained from a vote at the United Nations last year to condemn Russia’s invasion was South Africa, a key Western partner. The European Union and the United States had hoped that South Africa would stand up for other African nations and support the international condemnation of Russia.
In September, President Joe Biden hosted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House. Their disagreements regarding the war in Ukraine were a major topic of conversation. Last year, Antony Blinken, the secretary of state for the United States, went to South Africa.
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