Africa's Lens: Perceptions and Double Standards in Canadian Diplomacy

Observers and policymakers from across Africa and the global south continue to level accusations of hypocrisy at Canada and our Western allies. Many in Africa and the global south perceive a double standard, as the West continues to condemn the illegal occupation in Ukraine while staunchly supporting Israel, which has occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip over half a century and maintains settlements in the former—actions considered illegal by most of the international community.

While the Canadian government swiftly condemned Russia for violating international law during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, observers in Africa and the global south argue that the West has not condemned Israel for the enduring occupation and for not doing enough to prevent the deaths of thousands of civilians in its ongoing assault on Gaza. Israel's siege of the enclave is in response to the October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which resulted in the death of more than 1,400 people and the capture of over 200 hostages.

Canadian leaders from all levels of government have strongly denounced Hamas's assault and emphasized Israel's right to defend itself. However, they have not exerted significant pressure on Israel to adopt a cease-fire, despite mounting civilian casualties from Israeli bombardments and worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Since the outbreak of the war, at least 9,500 Palestinians in Gaza have reportedly died, and the United Nations has expressed deep concern about the clear violations of international humanitarian law taking place in Gaza.

In Africa, this perceived inconsistency may prove particularly damaging to Canada's claims of a "rules-based order"—the central refrain our leaders invoke to rally support for Ukraine against Russia. Many countries in the global south perceive the West's stance on Israel-Palestine as evidence of selective application of international rules and norms, driven by geopolitical interests rather than universal principles.

Acknowledging the risks of being seen as hypocritical, several Western leaders, including Justin Trudeau , have emphasized the need for Israel to respect humanitarian law in Gaza. However, such gestures are unlikely to reverse Africa's perceptions of Western hypocrisy, especially as civilian casualties in Gaza continue to rise. Disturbingly, more children have died in Gaza over the past three weeks than in all armed conflicts over each of the past three years. An overwhelming majority of countries in the Global South supported an October 27 Jordanian U.N. resolution calling for an immediate, durable, and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities. The U.S voted against the resolution, Canada abstained, and many European allies followed suit or abstained.

Policymakers in the global south have long viewed Canada's claims to moral high ground as grating and unnecessary. As the Israel-Palestinian conflict persists, the risk to Western credibility in the Global South grows, potentially undermining the moral authority the West seeks to project on the international stage.