But the ball is now in the West's (and particularly #Portugal's) court to address #GuineaBissau's concerns and agency. Embaló visited Kyiv in October 2022. In a similar way to his current praise of all the support received from the USSR, he then underlined quite close historical relations. He expressed his shock by Russian aggression and its visible consequences. He also called #Ukraine a "strategic partner".

#Russia #Portugal #CPLP #PALOP

Travels on the continent, meetings with African heads of state, opening of new embassies will not be enough to sway #PALOP/African countries one way or another. Of primary importance is to address African concerns and adapt to African agency. A fact that #Portugal has failed to learn so far, if we are to believe its recent reaction to the #Russia-#SãoTomé deal.

#Ukraine #CPLP

Such is the case of #EquatorialGuinea (that signed an agreement with #Belarus last December) or #SãoTomé (which recently signed a defence agreement with #Russia). Those agreements should not be taken as a sign that these nations are allying and aligning with Russia.

#Ukraine #PALOP #CPLP

While Russian influence in #Angola is indeed waning - although not as a direct consequence of the war - and Ukrainian efforts have been positively received in several countries, the war has rather been an incentive for several #PALOP countries to try their hand at multivectorial diplomacy.

#Russia #Ukraine #CPLP

None however have voted in favour of the removal of #Russia from the #UN Human Rights Council. (#CapeVerde has also been the first African country to confirm its participation to #Ukraine's peace summit, to be held shortly)

#CPLP #PALOP