Russia charges France for interference in internal affairs of African countries – The North Africa Post

Russia’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov slammed Tuesday France for interference in the internal affairs of African countries and support to terrorist organizations on the continent.

Lavrov spoke at a joint press conference in capital Mbabane with Thuli Daladla, his Eswatini peer. This was part of an African tour.

“By supporting terrorists in Libya, France has fostered terrorism in Africa,” he indicated.

The reaction came after France’s President Emmanuel Macron accused Russia of influencing Burkina Faso’s recent decision to ask French troops to leave its soil in one month.

“This is a matter of foreign policy, we do not intervene in the internal affairs of other countries. Macron’s statements show that France does,” he added.

The Russian top diplomat also addressed the western accusation that Moscow collaborates with paramilitary organizations, primarily with Wagner in Mali, Central African Republic, and Burkina Faso.

“We are accused of undermining French interests in the Central African Republic, Mali and now Burkina Faso. This mentality is what the European Union (EU), applies to all countries. This mentality was also used for Ukraine in the 2000s,” Lavrov said.

France, he claimed, was also involved in the attack on Libya that led to the fallacy of the Libyan state.

“By supporting the terrorists in Libya, France has fostered the terrorism that is still observed in Africa. It is sad that the colonial mentality and the ‘divide and conquer’ strategy are still used in the foreign policy of our European and Western colleagues,” Lavrov added.

Before he visited the small Southern African country, Russia’s foreign minister was in South Africa.