CNN Glosses Over A Big Reason for Non-European Stance on Russia

CNN's analysis of why some leaders on African countries aren't on the "hate Russia" train that most of the West is driving spearheading barely acknowledges some key historical context. But before we get into that, let's see what they had to say.

• Strongman Leadership: "Many of the countries that abstained from the UN vote are authoritarian regimes. They see Putin's unilateral decision to invade Ukraine as a show of power and ego that they can appreciate and align with, Yetunde Odugbesan-Omede, a political analyst and professor at New York's Farmingdale State College, told CNN."
• Establishing Stronger Ties: "In recent years, Russia has established itself as one of Africa's most valuable trading partners -- becoming a major supplier of military hardware with key alliances in Nigeria, Libya, Ethiopia and Mali...Some analysts say the support or non-censure of Russia speaks to a wider sentiment in parts of Africa that Western policy positions do not always work in their favor."

Interesting, to say the least. But because CNN doesn't seem to want to go past 2014 when talking about the history here, let's briefly discuss something they glossed over:

Unlike many of its European counterparts, Russia is not a former colonial power in Africa and so has a wider scope of opportunity in making soft power moves that aim to challenge Western dominance on the continent.

BINGO! There it is,  the colonization of Africa.

By 1900 a significant part of Africa had been colonized by mainly seven European powers—Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. After the conquest of African decentralized and centralized states, the European powers set about establishing colonial state systems. The colonial state was the machinery of administrative domination established to facilitate effective control and exploitation of the colonized societies. Colonial states were authoritarian, bureaucratic systems, partly due to their origins in military conquest and the racist ideology of the imperialist enterprise. The French directed their attention to the active economies of the Niger Delta, the Lagos Hinterland and the Gold Coast.

What about Russia? See, while the colonization was happening (roughly between 1884 and 1914),  Russia was a little busy trying to be recognized by the rest of Europe, fending off Napoleon, and dealing with revolts and revolutions. 

Historically-speaking, that can go a long way toward the emerging relationship between Russia and certain African nations. Beyond the weapon sales and trade, Africans can say that Russia was the one country in Europe that didn't try to enslave their ancestors. 

This might even explain CNN's other big "explanation." (Where do they think some of the African countries learned to be authoritarian?)

Anyway, the western world should be glad that the consensus from Africa is, "wait and see," as opposed to, "How can we help you, Russia?"