Use BBC.com or the new BBC App to listen to BBC podcasts, Radio 4 and the World Service outside the UK.

Find out how to listen to other BBC stations

Episode details

World Service,7 mins

Ukraine war: Why are African nations divided?

Focus on Africa

Available for over a year

African nations have shown disunity in their response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Seventeen African countries abstained from a vote at the UN on a resolution condemning Russia's military operations in Ukraine, a few did not take part at all, and one - Eritrea - voted against. Elissa Jobson, Chief of Advocacy at the International Crisis Group and Philani Mthembu, Executive Director at the Institute for Global Dialogue in South Africa, joined Focus on Africa's Bola Mosuro to discuss why African countries have been reluctant to take sides in the conflict. Philani gave his view first. Photo: Destroyed buildings in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. Credit: Reuters.

Programme Website
More episodes