Where Does Africa Fit into The Matrix of a Russian-Ukrainian Feud That Serves as A Necessary Confirmation of The New World Order?

As events unfold in Russia and Ukraine, a number of issues have come to the attention of any critical mind as a global citizen and observer of an unjust world system. For a variety of reasons, the existing Westphalian sovereignty, the notion in international law and other multilateral accords establishing nations' exclusive control over their territory, is in doubt. As a logical political analyst, any invasion of a sovereign country is reprehensible; but reviewing all the specifics will provide insight into why and how it occurred. While the assessment does not offer us the complete picture, I believe it will assist us in overcoming our reservations and bewilderment.????

This argument revolves around four critical points: sovereignty, collective security, the sanction regime, and the international financial system, which are briefly explored in this article. Before discussing the main issues, it is good to have a bit of background information. Without getting into the long-standing historical ties and tensions between Russia and Ukraine, it is worth noting that in recent years, diplomatic efforts have been made to resolve some of the most pressing difficulties. Among which Russia's worry and claim was that Russian-speaking minority in Ukraine were not treated equally with other residents, especially those living in the Donetsk and Luhansk areas and throughout the country. For a long time, the Russians have insisted on the establishment of self-government in Donetsk and Luhansk as well as the protection of minority rights across Ukraine. Based on this fact, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has been active in the issue since 2014 in order to resolve the matter in a peaceful manner. The Crimea referendum and the danger of NATO expansion, on the other hand, hindered the entire diplomatic endeavour of the OSCE. The international communities, and in particular African countries, should grasp the gist of the storey and act accordingly.

?Apart from the foregoing, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) vowed not to expand into East Europe following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Furthermore, following the collapse of the Warsaw Treaty Organization (WTO), there was no threat of expansion to the east unless the objective was to encircle and choke the Russian federation. In this aspect, the Russians' concern is understandable, since they believe that the intimidation was aimed at rubbing the Russian nose. Additionally, the western countries in general, and particularly the members of the security council, including NATO, lack the moral authority to accuse Russia for violating international law and sovereignty. Because we have seen first-hand how the west's unilateral decisions to attack Afghanistan, Bolivia, Iraq, Libya, Nicaragua, Syria, Sudan, and Somalia, using the UN security council as a rubber stamp, resulted in devastation of humanity in every corner of the world. The western countries' attack may be traced all the way back to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We cannot overlook the human misery caused by unilateral sanction regimes like Iran, Sudan, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe. Nonetheless, while the Western countries' wrongdoing should not be used to legitimise the Russian invasion, it is worth noting that NATO's intimidation contributed to this problem. This is a legitimate existential concern for Russia; for years, the world has observed how Russia has cornered the west on both political and economic fronts.?

?The evolution of Russia and Ukraine has taught us that the notion of sovereignty and territorial integrity are being questioned, and that they are being used as a sham. The whole assessment of collective military security is being scrutinised; the ramifications and paradoxes of multinational communities being hated in so many different ways are being examined as well. One of the most significant lessons learned from this crisis is how quickly the western world can unite and use sanction regium offensively against any adversary. As a result, the world as a whole, and Africa in particular, should examine the independence of the financial institutions now in place. Any measure taken will reveal that the current financial system is not in the interests of African ambitions, but rather serves the interests of a few number of wealthy countries. What is now being derided as a result of Russia and Ukraine is that the neutrality of many international organisations is being questioned. One of which those who have advocated for non-political allegiance to any country, including the Olympic committee and FIFA, have transformed themselves into political instruments for the west's interests.?

?What is the most important lesson the world can take away from this crisis, particularly in Africa? Because the west continues to divide African nations into pro- and anti-Russian camps, African countries should make whatever decision they make collectively for two reasons. One should avoid diplomatic wrangling in order to support or oppose any party. second, to examine the matter from the perspective of Africans' economic and political gain, rather than in support of major powers. It is important to remember that Africa is still suffering from the effects of colonialism. For that point, the Western Sahara independence question remains unresolved after four comparable de facto governments were established in Somaliland and others are still running de jure. As a result, we should avoid allowing our decisions to come back to bite us. Finally, Africa should be eager to revise its foreign relations and collective military security, as the current development serves as a warning on a larger scale for Africa.?The following analysis is offered from an African economic and geopolitical perspective.

·?????The present and previous conflicts and diplomatic crises demonstrated that "sovereignty" is a sham idea that can undermine multilateralism and international agreements at any time. Thus, Africa's governments, which have long embraced the romantic relationship between sovereignty and territorial integrity, do not work for the poor and helpless.

·?????In the absence of collective security that is as powerful as NATO, Africa should consider how to prevent such an eventuality collectively rather than as an individual country.

·?????The sanction system of western countries is more dangerous than colonialism because it has the ability to dominate all financial institutions for the benefit of a single party's economic interests. Thus, Africa should revise in order to avoid being a victim of the future sanction regime, which has been unjust in so many ways.

·?????On a related vein, the international financial system and monetary system favour the powerful and exploit the world's poorest countries, primarily in Africa. Africa cannot survive in this unjust equation, let alone prosper and provide a reasonable quality of living for its people. Thus, seeking an alternative financial institution arrangement is a crucial endeavour for Africa to achieve more competitiveness and self-sufficiency. Finally, until Africa strives for equitable engagement in the political and economic paradigms, the status quo will not benefit Africa on all fronts. ??

Yours in Pan Africanism

Seife Tadelle Kidane Ph.D.