Seven African leaders are travelling to Ukraine and Russia on a peace mission, hoping to bring the war there closer to an end.
But the timing of the visit seems off. It comes just as Kyiv is launching its much-vaunted counter-offensive.
The mission is an unusual burst of activism given Africa’s largely hands-off approach to a conflict that many here see primarily as a confrontation between Russia and the West.
It is also a rare attempt at diplomatic intervention outside the continent – a “welcome development” given Africa’s growing demand to have a bigger voice at the UN and other international organisations, says Murithi Mutiga, Africa director at the International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank.