NOUAKCHOTT/KYIV – June 25 — On the windswept western edge of Africa, Mauritania has become an unexpected node in Ukraine’s expanding diplomatic and humanitarian campaign to challenge Russian influence across the continent. What began with a modest embassy in the capital, Nouakchott, has evolved into a broader geopolitical maneuver as Ukraine deepens ties with African nations while confronting Russia’s entrenched military and economic presence.
Kyiv's new outpost in Mauritania is one of eight diplomatic missions Ukraine has inaugurated across Africa since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. It now serves not only as a base for diplomatic outreach but also as a hub for humanitarian aid — most notably, food deliveries to Malian refugees fleeing conflict across the border.
Ukraine’s envoy for African affairs, Ambassador Maksym Subkh, confirmed to Reuters that the country is also offering military training to Mauritania, echoing earlier pre-war cooperation. The initiative comes amid growing tensions between Mauritania and neighbouring Mali, where Russian-backed forces are battling Tuareg separatists.
"There is no alternative," said Subkh, speaking from Kyiv. "Given the instability created by Russian military activity in the Sahel, Ukraine is prepared to share its battlefield experience and training with Mauritania’s armed forces."
Though the Mauritanian government has yet to comment on Ukraine’s training offer, the initiative underscores Kyiv’s strategic intent to present itself as a credible partner in security, food assistance, and diplomacy across Africa — traditionally a stronghold of Russian geopolitical influence.
A Rival Narrative in the Sahel
Russia’s footprint in Africa, particularly in the Sahel, is significant. From providing security personnel to mining concessions and weapons sales, Moscow has maintained a robust presence. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia remains the largest arms supplier to the continent, and the Kremlin has signaled plans to further expand cooperation with African states in sensitive areas such as defense.
Subkh criticized Russia’s role in the Sahel, asserting that its military involvement has “undermined regional stability.” He emphasized Ukraine’s alternative model — one grounded in shared post-colonial struggle and a vision of sovereignty free from coercion. “We see parallels between Ukraine’s resistance to Russian aggression and African nations’ historic fight against European colonialism,” he said.
A Diplomatic Footprint, With Limitations
While Russia maintains nearly 40 missions across Africa and plans to open seven more, Ukraine is working to catch up. Kyiv has opened eight of the ten new African embassies it pledged in 2022, bringing its total on the continent to 18. Among the host countries are Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo — both of which were early critics of Moscow’s invasion.
Mauritania, with its proximity to Mali and its regional refugee crisis, was a strategic choice. Since opening in 2024, Ukraine’s mission — initially staffed by just one diplomat, Viktor Bort — has coordinated the delivery of over 1,400 tonnes of aid through the World Food Programme (WFP), targeting the vast Mbera refugee camp that now shelters nearly 250,000 people.
“These people are fleeing Russians,” said Bort, referring to the Malian conflict. Bort, 29, ran the embassy solo during its initial months, relying on peer diplomats for security before being joined by Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires, Roman Sereda.
Sereda noted that Ukraine's high-visibility aid — delivered under the Grain from Ukraine program, funded by the EU and U.S. — is reshaping perceptions. “We aim to prevent Russia from using food as a political weapon,” Sereda said.
Indeed, Ukraine has already sent almost 300,000 tonnes of grain as aid to 12 African countries, including Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Sudan, according to the European Policy Centre. This rivals Russia’s own food diplomacy efforts and supports Kyiv’s goal of demonstrating that it remains a key guarantor of global food security.
Aid and Diplomacy Intertwined
Despite progress, Ukraine’s Africa strategy faces hurdles. The 2024 Ukraine-Africa summit originally planned for Kyiv has been downgraded to a virtual format — a decision confirmed by diplomatic sources but not officially explained by Ukraine’s foreign ministry. Russia, in contrast, hosted a high-profile Africa summit in 2023, attended by numerous heads of state.
In other setbacks, Ukraine has not yet appointed an ambassador to Ethiopia — a diplomatic vacuum analysts say undermines engagement with the African Union, headquartered in Addis Ababa.
Commercially, Ukraine’s exports remain skewed toward North Africa. Sub-Saharan countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, and Ethiopia import far less now than they did before the war. Mauritania itself reduced Ukrainian food imports in 2023 compared to 2021.
And Kyiv’s growing visibility hasn’t been without controversy. In July 2024, Mali severed diplomatic ties with Ukraine after a Ukrainian intelligence official was linked to a Tuareg attack that left over 130 Malian and Russian fighters dead. Ukraine strongly denied involvement, and Subkh reiterated that the country does “not participate in covert operations” in the region.
A Message Beyond Food and Arms
Still, Ukraine’s embassies are slowly building credibility. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, discussions are underway to explore long-term agricultural and food security partnerships. “We accepted the Ukrainian embassy in a spirit of openness and cooperation,” said a statement from the Congolese presidency. “There is no need to link its presence to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.”
In South Africa, where President Volodymyr Zelensky recently made a landmark visit, Ukraine has sought to highlight not only its struggle for sovereignty but also the potential for future cooperation in energy, fertilizer, and security.
Yet South Africa continues to walk a diplomatic tightrope. “We consider both Russia and Ukraine allies,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri. The country has positioned itself as a neutral actor, emphasizing mediation and humanitarian dialogue, including the repatriation of Ukrainian children allegedly taken to Russia — an issue Ukraine continues to raise on international platforms.
Conclusion
With modest resources but growing ambition, Ukraine’s campaign in Africa is part humanitarian outreach, part soft-power competition, and part moral appeal to post-colonial solidarity. As Kyiv looks to forge new alliances in its global struggle against Russian aggression, places like Mauritania — once peripheral in global affairs — are emerging as key arenas in the new geopolitical contest reshaping Africa.
— Reported by Jessica Donati in Nouakchott and Olena Harmash in Kyiv. Additional reporting by Ange Adihe Kasongo, Nellie Peyton, and Kissima Diagana. Edited by Estelle Shirbon and Frank Jack Daniel
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