Russia's embassies in Sierra Leone, Niger and South Sudan are set to begin operations soon, according to Anatoly Bashkin, Director of the African Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, in an interview with Izvestia.
"In 2023, our embassies in Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea became operational. Now, we are preparing to launch embassies in Niger, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. This required meticulous groundwork, including obtaining formal consent from local authorities and resolving various organizational and legal issues," Bashkin explained.
He highlighted that in Niamey (Niger) and Freetown (Sierra Leone), Russia is reestablishing diplomatic missions that had been closed since 1992 due to financial constraints. "It was a challenging period for Russian-African relations as Russia was focused on internal issues. Thankfully, the situation has changed significantly, and the new geopolitical landscape demands enhanced cooperation in political, economic, and humanitarian spheres," he noted.
Regarding South Sudan, Bashkin mentioned that there had never been a permanent Russian diplomatic presence in the country, which gained independence in 2011. "Since then, a Russian ambassador has been accredited to South Sudan but based in neighboring Uganda. We are hopeful that a formal decision to establish embassies in these three countries will be made very soon," he said.
Bashkin also stated that Russia intends to further expand its diplomatic presence across Africa.
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Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on TASS materials