Africa becoming increasingly anti-West: Zimbabwe official

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
16 Mar 2023 00:04
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A spokesman for Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF, Christopher Mutsvangwa, said that Africa has grown substantially over recent years, and gained considerable confidence in its own capabilities and several allies as the world is becoming increasingly multipolar and an alternative financial global market is in the making.

Supporters of Zimbabwe's ruling party sing and cheer while welcoming Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko upon his arrival at Robert Mugabe International airport in Harare, Monday, Jan, 30, 2023 (AP /Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

A spokesman for Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party told reporters on Wednesday that African countries are becoming increasingly resistant to the West's "bullying" as a consciousness of their own strengths as African nations are growing.

"African countries, they are now much more interested in developing themselves without being bullied by the West and there is a lot of resistance now against [the West]… it is the resisting America, that's why we were punished, it is the resisting England, that's why we were punished… now the African countries, they know their resource base is one of the best in the world… and they know western countries are jealous and they want to take away the resource like they always used to do in the colonial era," said Christopher Mutsvangwa, spokesman for the ZANU-PF.

Mutsvangwa added that Africa has grown substantially over recent years, and gained considerable confidence in its own capabilities and several allies as the world is becoming increasingly multipolar and an alternative financial global market is in the making.

He further said that his country highly values relations with Russia and expects developments to continue at a positive rate in trade and related fields, including railroad construction, energy, metallurgy, and science.

On October 9, following referenda on the accession of several formerly Ukrainian regions into Russia, Zimbabwe announced that it will continue supporting Moscow, according to Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Jacob Mudenda.

Speaking to Sputnik, Mudenda voiced that his country "even before the referendum[s], was on the side of Russia in terms of understanding the root cause of the conflict. …Zimbabwe and Russia are victims of sanctions, so they are comrades in the sanctions battle."

This would not mark as the first time an African state cements its support for Russia. In late September, Ugandan Land Forces commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba stressed that any attack on Russia is an attack on Africa. Recent demonstrations in Burkina Faso earlier this month saw protestors waving Russian flags in front of the French embassy. Mali has also agreed to strengthen cooperation with Russia in combatting terrorism in the Sahel region.

Mudenda pointed out that Zimbabwe has not made any official statements regarding the recognition of the referendum results due to the fact that recognition is initiated by the cabinet of ministers on behalf of Zimbabwe's president, and other governmental branches could not make any steps unless the cabinet makes its decision.