The participation of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki in the upcoming Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg would bring concrete results for bilateral relations, the country’s ambassador to the UN, Sophia Tesfamariam, told Sputnik.
"I'm sure if he [Afwerki] went over there [to Russia], there will be some concrete results," Tesfamariam said. "He is not a man of talk, he is a very much action-oriented gentleman and I think if he goes there, there will be some direct impact on the Russian-Eritrean relationship and maybe [resulting in making them] stronger, strengthening them as they go forward."
The envoy pointed out that no one can question the strength of the bilateral relationship between Russia and Eritrea, which is based on the support both countries provide for each other and on a similar view and understanding of world politics and where it needs to go in the future.
Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said earlier in July that Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with the Eritrean leader on July 27 in St. Petersburg.
The Eritrean ambassador to Russia also confirmed to Sputnik earlier in the month that Afwerki is planning to attend the Russia-Africa Summit to discuss several issues, including the arms race in space.
The Second Russia-Africa Summit and Economic Forum will be held in St. Petersburg from July 27-28.
The First Russia-Africa Summit took place from October 23-24 2019, in the Russian city of Sochi. It was the first event of this scale in the history of Russian-African relations. Forty-nine African delegations are expected to attend this year's summit.
UN Charter ‘Under Threat’
Ambassador Tesfamariam also addressed the United Nations issue, stating that the charter of the UN is under threat due to circumventions and ineffective organization's bodies.
"I think it is under threat. They found ways to circumvent the UN Charter and do things almost illegally and not be held into account," Tesfamariam said when asked about the state of the charter.
According to the envoy, the world would likely not be facing the challenges it does if all member states were abiding by the UN Charter.
The UN Security Council, Tesfamariam added, has been made "practically impotent" despite its critical role in global peace and security.
The UN General Assembly has likewise been rendered dysfunctional due to its consideration of dozens of issues that are "irrelevant to 90% of the world," Tesfamariam said.
In addition, the envoy said that some member states from Africa and the rest of the so-called Global South may not be paying attention to talks at this point, having been "lost" amid discussions on issues beyond the GA’s mandate.
The UN Charter, she added, ought to bring countries together and allow every member state, regardless of relative size or wealth, to contribute to the work of the UN.
