The current president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Umaro Sissoco Embalo, began an official visit to Russia on October 24 and then to Kyiv.
Umaro Sissoco Embalo stated the aim of his trip specifically: "I will be with President Vladimir Putin. I bring him a message of peace. It is important to speak of peace because the world is very troubled."
The African leader will also suggest, "it is necessary to speak with his brother Zelensky. I often speak with Zelensky, just like Emmanuel Macron, on this subject". He also stated that he is going "not as president of Guinea-Bissau, but as the current president of ECOWAS."
Umaro Sissoco Embalo is the second African head of state to meet Vladimir Putin after President Macky Sall. The current president of the African Union, the Senegalese Macky Sall, made a trip to Sochi at the beginning of last June. The liberation of the blocked Ukrainian ports was the reason for this visit - especially since the blockade led to a rise in the price of food. After Russia, Umaro Sissoco Embalo will travel to Kyiv to meet Volodymyr Zelensky to talk about peace.
Relations between Russia and West African countries are mostly positive. The latter depend on East-European food supplies and avoid harsh criticism of the Ukrainian conflict.
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