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Official visit of FM Sergey Lavrov to Eritrea

https://shabait.com/2023/01/26/official ... o-eritrea/

Asmara, 26 January 2023- Senior delegation of the Russian Federation led by Foreign Minister Mr. Sergey Lavrov comprising Mr. Mikhail Bogdanov, Deputy Foreign Minister, arrived in Massawa in the morning hours of today for a one-day official visit to Eritrea.

Upon arrival at the Massawa International Airport, Mr. Sergey Lavrov and his delegation were accorded a warm welcome by Mr. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Presidential Adviser Mr. Yemane Gebreab, and other senior Government officials as well as Mr. Igor Mozgo, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Eritrea.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet President Isaias Afwerki and discuss on strengthening bilateral relations, as well as regional developments of interest to the two countries.

Mr. Osman Saleh and Mr. Sergey Lavrov are expected to conduct a joint press conference in the evening hours of today, in Massawa.

Uproar over Germany's dig at Russian envoy Africa tour

"How many times should we tell you that Africa is more than seeing wild animals?" Kofi Yeboah tweeted.

In Summary
• Many were angered by the suggestion that Africa's wildlife was the only thing worth bringing the Russian envoy to the continent.

26 January 2023


Sergei Lavrov made a second visit to Africa in the space of six months. Image: EPA

Germany's foreign office has come under fire after taking aim at Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's tour of Africa, using an unpopular generalisation about the continent.

In a tweet, Germany's foreign office had said:

The Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov is in Africa, not to see [leopard emoji], but to bluntly claim that Ukraine’s partners “want to destroy everything Russian”.

Many were angered by the suggestion, that Africa's wildlife was the only thing worth bringing the Russian envoy to the continent.

Ebba Kalondo, the spokesperson to the African Union chairperson, wondered whether

the continent of Africa, its people and wildlife is a joke to you?

Ms Kalondo noted, that German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock recently visited the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia.

Did she come to see animals?

she posed.

How many times should we tell you, that Africa is more than seeing wild animals?

Kofi Yeboah tweeted.

Using terrible stereotypes of Africa (“Africa is a vast landscape of wild animals in the bush”) to score a geopolitical uppercut to an adversary in a European war, will not win you any African friends,

added Zainab Usman