Ukraine poised to offer Africa more than exports, proposing ideas, technology, and shared interest

Ukraine should rethink its approach to partnerships with African nations by conducting a comprehensive SWOT analysis of the region, identifying both export and import opportunities, and developing strategic proposals for infrastructure initiatives.

This perspective was shared by Yevhen Mahda, a representative of the Institute of World Policy, during a discussion at Media Center Ukraine.

“First and foremost, Ukraine needs to carry out, or perhaps has already conducted detailed SWOT analysis of Africa, looking beyond just its export potential to include import opportunities as well,” Mahda stated. “There are several African countries that are, to be frank, not wealthy and are heavily reliant on mono-export economies. For instance, if we were to negotiate or establish preferential terms for importing fish from country X, that could serve as a strategic lever of influence for Ukraine.”

Mahda highlighted Ukraine’s strengths in engineering and infrastructure, noting that these capabilities could be in demand across the African continent.

“Take climate, for example. Ukraine has extensive experience in constructing hydrological and land reclamation facilities. The question is whether the Ukrainian state is prepared to back these initiatives and whether it’s willing to finance the work of our engineers abroad. Ultimately, however, the contracts would be awarded by African countries themselves,” he explained.

At the same time, Mahda emphasized the need to counterbalance russia’s political narratives in Africa with a Ukrainian message rooted in a shared pursuit of independence.

“When it comes to russia, which promotes the May 9 ‘Victory Day’ narrative, we must be more assertive in highlighting the anti-colonial struggle, stressing that we are united in our desire for independence and that aspiring to sovereignty is both legitimate and essential,” he added.

As China’s influence continues to expand across Africa, eclipsing russia in some areas and establishing strong ties with local regimes, Mahda argued that Ukraine has a window of opportunity to offer an alternative model of partnership. This includes promoting Ukrainian products, particularly grain, and collaborating with allies such as Poland to broaden its footprint in African markets.

“One more thing: while russia and China may appear to operate in tandem at times, in my experience, China has essentially outmaneuvered russia in many African nations. It has entrenched itself by supplying arms, financial support, and more to local regimes. That’s why we need to seek out our own partners,” he said. “Let’s return to the grain issue. If Ukrainian grain is currently under embargo in Poland, we should work to find common ground, especially since Polish diplomacy is quite active, not just during its EU presidency. By addressing this problem, we also help Poland advance its ambitions and gain greater access to these markets,” Mahda concluded.ьська дипломатія достатньо проактивна, і не лише в це півріччя, коли вона головує в ЄС. Але ж ми знімаємо для них проблему і допомагаємо їм реалізовувати свої амбіції і більш активно виходити на тамтешні ринки», – додав Євген Магда.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news