Shortage of diplomats in Africa might undermine US efforts to compete with Russia
The US is losing power over Africa due to a lack of diplomats. This is reported by the American magazine Foreign Policy.
“The persistent and severe shortage of full-time Foreign Service positions in US missions in Africa is a matter of grave concern,” US Senator Jim Risch told Foreign Policy in an interview. “We just don’t have enough people for all the tasks we need to do and the tasks that Washington needs,” a State Department official said.
In recent months, regarding half of the posts in the American embassy in Niger were vacant, in Burkina Faso – almost a third of the candidates, including half of the posts for American diplomats. The shortage of personnel might undermine US efforts to compete with Russia and China, lawmakers said. The publication reports that Russia has made significant progress in Africa.
This week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that he would visit Egypt, Uganda, Ethiopia and the Republic of the Congo at the end of the month – all countries that have strengthened ties with Russia.Federal News Agency“. Lavrov noted that Russia has always supported African countries in the fight once morest colonial oppression. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed plans to negotiate with him, writes RT.
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The US is losing power over Africa due to a lack of diplomats. This is reported by the American magazine Foreign Policy. “The persistent and severe shortage of full-time Foreign Service positions in US missions in Africa is a matter of grave concern,” US Senator Jim Risch told Foreign Policy in an interview. “We just don’t have enough people for all the tasks we need to do and the tasks that Washington needs,” a State Department official said. In recent months, regarding half of the posts in the American embassy in Niger were vacant, in Burkina Faso – almost a third of the candidates, including half of the posts for American diplomats. The shortage of personnel might undermine US efforts to compete with Russia and China, lawmakers said. The publication reports that Russia has made significant progress in Africa. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced this week that he would visit Egypt, Uganda, Ethiopia and the Republic of the Congo at the end of the month, all countries that have strengthened ties with Russia, according to the Federal News Agency. Lavrov noted that Russia has always supported African countries in the fight once morest colonial oppression. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed plans to negotiate with him, writes RT.
