Walking with the Bear? Russia and the A3 in the UN Security Council

This policy insight argues that Russia’s influence over the African grouping is often exaggerated or misplaced.

The UN Security Council (UNSC) has faced some of its most significant challenges in recent years. Deadlocks often lead to paralysis, which erodes the perceived legitimacy of the council in effectively responding to global crises. Russia is a key actor in these dynamics, as one of the five permanent members of the UNSC. As a ‘loud dissenter’ in most council discussions, Russia is often thought to have an outsized impact on council outcomes. African states are particularly affected by these dynamics, as most UNSC decisions relate to African conflicts. Therefore, it is vital to reflect on how the continent collectively engages with influential actors in the council, such as Russia. Accordingly, this policy insight reflects on the recent relationship between African member states and Russia in the UNSC. It assesses points of commonality and divergence through a statistical evaluation of voting patterns for 2014–2020. The policy insight argues that Russia’s influence over the African grouping is often exaggerated or misplaced.

This policy insight was first published by the South African Institute of International Affairs.

About the authors:

Priyal Singh is a Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies’ (ISS) Peace Operations and Peacebuilding Programme in Pretoria, South Africa. He holds an MA with distinction in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand and is certified in statistics for research and design.

Gustavo de Carvalho is a Programme Manager and Senior Researcher at the ISS’ Peace Operations and Peacebuilding Programme in Pretoria. He is a PhD candidate at the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town, and holds an MA in African Studies from the University of Oxford.

Photo: Getty/Andrew Burton