Lavrov's Diplomatic Drive: Russia's Rising Influence in West Africa

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's latest visit to Guinea highlights Russia's growing influence in West Africa, where several coups and dissatisfaction with traditional Western allies have led nations like Guinea to seek closer ties with Moscow. Lavrov's tour includes meetings with military rulers and discussions on mutual cooperation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to Guinea on Monday marks his latest diplomatic push in West Africa, a region increasingly pivoting towards Moscow amid growing discontent with traditional Western allies.

Lavrov, who has repeatedly toured the African continent in the past couple of years, seeks support or at least neutrality from Africa's 54 countries as Russia wages a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

During his visit, Lavrov met with Guinea's Foreign Minister Morissanda Kouyaté to discuss areas of mutual cooperation. The exact details of their talks remain elusive, but Guinea's government underscored the importance of the meeting.

Later in the evening, Lavrov was set to arrive in the Republic of Congo to meet President Denis Sassou N'Guesso. The rest of his itinerary remains unclear. Guinea has been under military rule since 2021, with Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya seizing power to purportedly prevent chaos and accusing the previous government of unfulfilled promises. Military leaders recently dissolved the government in February, announcing a new one would be appointed.

Doumbouya has dismissed Western and other nations' interventions in African political matters, expressing that Africans are tired of being categorized and boxed in. Additionally, West African nations like Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have experienced coups leading to military rule and a shift in military alliances from the West to Russia.

Lavrov's recent visits to Mali, South Africa, Kenya, and North Africa underscore Russia's quest to fill the void left by deteriorating Western influence in these regions.

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