DAKAR, SENEGAL What do you know about Finland?
It has been mentioned somewhere, but where, students wondered when conducted a survey at a university in the western tip of Africa, Senegal.
– Does Finland have anything to do with Germany? Finlande sounds a bit like Deutschland, guesses the student of physics and chemistry Gamou Ndiaye29.
– Finland was talked about on TV, but I don’t remember why. It was long before the war in Ukraine, says the future lawyer Sadou Ba20.
The result of the informal survey is not very surprising. Many people in Finland know about as little about Senegal, which is a small country located 6,000 kilometers away.
Finland’s new embassy in Senegal has enough work to do in building Finland’s image.
Finland opened an embassy in the capital, Dakar, last year. It is Finland’s first in the vast French-speaking West Africa. The operation is still so early that the mission is receiving in the temporary premises of an apartment building in Dakar.
In many West African countries, the remnants of colonialism are now being dismantled. Making Finland known in Senegal is facilitated by the fact that Finland does not have the ballast of the colonial era, says the ambassador Anu Saxén.
– There is a certain exoticism associated with Finland here. We are new and unknown, and people are interested in why we are here, says Saxén.
Senegal is a peaceful democracy. That’s why Finland chose it as a place from which to monitor the development of a large area.
There is unrest in the neighboring countries, and in Europe there is a fear of the spread of crises in the form of refugees, migration or terrorism.
In Senegal, Finland can also see from a vantage point how Russia is trying to increase its influence in the countries of the region.
Russia’s message has gone through
Former French colonies in Africa include weak states with multiple overlapping crises. Violence spreads, and people are forced to flee their homes. Such a situation is, for example, in Senegal’s neighboring country Mali.
Russia supports the military junta that seized power in Mali with the help of the mercenary company Wagner. You can read more about Russia’s actions and goals in the region in this article.
In Mali and other countries as well, Russia takes advantage of the distrust that is known in Africa towards the former colonial powers. Russia spreads disinformation about Europe and its own interpretations of, for example, the causes and consequences of the war in Ukraine.
After Russia attacked Ukraine, in many African countries, for example, Russia’s message that the wheat shortage in Africa was caused by European sanctions against Russia – and not because Russia blocked grain shipments from Ukraine – took hold.
The EU and Senegal have good relations. However, Russia’s interpretations have appeared in the media and received support in Senegal as well.
Ambassador Anu Saxén says that Russia’s narrative has gone through to some extent.
– But here we are aware that it is not the only truth, says Saxén.
What can Finland do?
Africa’s geopolitical importance is growing, and Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has further tightened the competition of foreign powers for partnerships on the continent.
At the moment, there is a struggle for the souls of nations, said the president who recently visited South Africa Sauli Niinistö To .
The EU is Africa’s most important trade partner and a major provider of development aid, but in the propaganda war it has been left at the feet of Russia and China. Among other things, the EU’s foreign affairs director Josep Borrell has demanded that Europe should to improve its operations (you switch to another service)in order to win over public opinion in Africa.
What will the EU and NATO country Finland’s new embassy do to counter Russia’s message in West Africa?
“Finland systematically brings forward positions jointly accepted by the EU member states in different situations,” Saxén replies.
In Senegal, however, Finland is small and still relatively invisible. There are two Finnish diplomats in the mission.
Therefore, Finland does not seek to influence alone, but together with other EU countries.
– As Finland, we do not profile ourselves to bring these issues to the fore, but we work in the camp of the EU member states, says Saxén.
According to him, the war in Ukraine has already fallen out of the headlines and conversations in Senegal.
People are interested in domestic issues such as the presidential election and rising prices of food and fuel. The latter may be blamed for the war, but without pointing out the culprits.
– War is something that happens somewhere far away and therefore may not touch ordinary people here.
An unknown area where the French language slows down
Finland’s connections with French-speaking West Africa have been scarce until now. Traditionally, Finland has had much more contact with countries in eastern and southern Africa.
French is a slow language for many Finns. There is cultural exchange and cooperation between non-governmental organizations in Senegal, but Finnish tourists also mostly go to the neighboring country Gambia, where English is spoken.
However, the capital of Senegal, Dakar, is the center of diplomacy and UN organizations. With a population of 18 million, Senegal’s economy is growing rapidly, and later this year the country is set to become an oil and natural gas producer.
Like everyone else, Finland wants its share of political partnerships and growing markets in this part of Africa as well.
The Senegalese embassy will represent Finland at least in the Gambia and the important economic powerhouse of the region, the Ivory Coast. No decisions have been made for other countries in the region.
Doubling the trade can be successful when the starting level is low
In the Africa strategy approved by the Finnish government the other year, the goal is to double trade with Africa by 2030.
It is a tough goal, admits Ambassador Saxén.
– In Senegal, however, it may be possible, because here we start from relatively small numbers.
Finland’s exports to Senegal in 2021 were around 22 million euros and imports 260,000 euros. For comparison, Finland’s exports to, for example, South Africa were 365 million euros and imports 197 million euros.
Engineering companies Kone, Metso and Wärtsilä and telecommunications company Nokia operate in Senegal, among others. According to Saxén, there could be demand, for example, in the field of education, digitalization and renewable energy, and in the processing of agricultural products.
– There is potential, but the competition is fierce and there is also corruption, says Saxén.
Former colonial master France and its companies still exercise significant economic power in Senegal.
Chinese and Turkish companies are also in good positions in Senegal.
Small Finns should now find good partners so that they can penetrate the market.