SADC Looks On As Its Youth Fall Prey To Deceptive Recruitment to Russia

The Southern African region is accused of looking on as the youth continue to fall in traps of deceptive recruitment to Russia where they end up on war frontline in Ukraine.

During the recent summit of the African Union held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, affected countries failed to raise concerns about the alleged deceptive recruitment of African youth into the Russia–Ukraine war.

The silence came despite growing reports that young African men and women are being lured into the conflict through misleading job and scholarship offers linked to Russia.

While countries from blocs such as the Economic Community of West African States and the East African Community reportedly raised strong concerns about the issue during discussions leading to the 39th AU Summit, Southern African countries did not publicly address the matter.

Before the summit, Malawian civil society groups had urged the government in Lilongwe to bring the issue to the continental forum.

Malawi currently chairs the Southern African Development Community Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, a key regional body responsible for promoting peace, stability and democratic governance.

Analysts say Malawi was well placed to push the issue at the continental level, including through the African Union Peace and Security Council.

However, no official position on the matter emerged from the summit.

“Africa could have united to petition Russia over these deceptive job and scholarship offers,” Simwaka said.He added that the region should have spoken with one voice.

“Before the summit, the SADC Executive Secretary met Foreign Affairs Minister George Chaponda to discuss peace and security issues. But the focus was on Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique, while the exploitation of our youth in the Russia–Ukraine war was ignored,” Simwaka said.