/Pgled.info/ The second Russia-Africa summit will be held in St. Petersburg on July 27-28. The leaders of Egypt, Zambia, Comoros, Congo, Senegal, Uganda, South Africa, as well as representatives of more than 40 countries are expected to arrive. What will it be about?
Continental drift
According to the Financial Times, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa intends to discuss the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. This is the second round of negotiations – the first was held on June 17. Africans call on countries to drop sanctions, stop hostilities, provide security guarantees, ensure access to humanitarian aid for all victims and resolve the issue of children who cannot be reunited with their families.
Americans urge African leaders not to go to Russia. The Financial Times also reports that they are being asked to condemn the Kremlin’s withdrawal from the grain deal. Africans are really worried about this: in the field of economy and security, they intend to interact with both the Kremlin and the White House.
A group of US congressmen has proposed moving the trade forum “Action for African Growth and Opportunity” from South Africa to another location, allegedly because of Pretoria’s military cooperation with Moscow, reports “Reuters”. At the same time, South Africa is the biggest beneficiary of the forum, in 2022 it sold three billion dollars worth of goods to the United States.
Meanwhile, since 2022, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has made four tours of the Black Continent. There are many common interests, including in energy and mining. Africans’ fond memories of the Soviet Union’s help favor the Kremlin. This obviously affects the UN voting on anti-Russian resolutions – Africa usually refrains from condemning Moscow.
French President Emmanuel Macron also visited the Black Continent – he wanted to take the initiative. However, he received a cold reception. For example, in Oran, Algeria, they chanted: “We are at home!” and “France is swallowing our country”.
Healthy relationships
As Vladimir Putin noted, partnership with Africa has deep roots, and interstate relations have always been characterized by stability, trust and goodwill. “We have consistently supported African peoples in their struggle for liberation from colonial oppression, helped form statehood, strengthen sovereignty and defense capability,” the president stressed in an article coinciding with the summit.
New economic and political centers are forming in the world, which demand to be taken into account, the Russian leader pointed out. Based on them, a new international order will emerge – more just than the previous one. And Africa will take its rightful place in it, having finally freed itself from the heavy legacy of colonialism and neo-colonialism.
Last year, Russia’s trade turnover with the countries of the continent reached almost 18 billion dollars, but the potential for economic partnership is much greater. Putin assured that Russian companies are ready to work more actively with Africans in the field of high technology, nuclear energy, chemical industry and mining. In addition, despite the sanctions, Moscow does not stop the supply of grain to Africa. In 2022, exports amounted to 11.5 million tons, and by July 2023, almost ten million.
Russia also helps train national personnel. Today, about 35 thousand students from the Black Continent study in the country. More than 6,000 – with Russian scholarships. And Moscow is ready to accept even more Africans.
According to Putin, after the meeting in St. Petersburg, the countries will sign a significant package of agreements and memoranda.
Time for an opportunity
Viktor Mizin, a leading researcher at the Center for International Security of the IMEMO of the Russian Academy of Sciences, recalled that Moscow had reoriented its foreign policy from the unfriendly collective West to those that maintained partnerships. And Africa is the most important region. Especially South Africa as a BRICS member.
“Immediately after the collapse of the USSR, Russia left Africa, abandoning the invested funds and friends. But now Moscow is returning not only politically, but also economically. This gives results: Mali, Eritrea, South Africa, Algeria and others do not vote against us in the UN in connection with the conflict in Ukraine,” says the expert.
According to him, in the future, the role of Africa in the world will only grow, although there are many problems, including those due to the colonial past. Russia stepped up in this direction just in time.
“The Black Continent wants to announce itself as a geopolitical force to be reckoned with. At the same time, relations with the European Union are not going through the best period. The Europeans do not have a clear strategy for working with the region. Therefore, Western diplomats are trying, if not strengthen their positions, at least to prevent the rapprochement of Africa with Russia”, emphasizes the expert.
As for the Africans themselves, it is profitable for them to cooperate with Moscow because Russia acts as a counterbalance to the influence of the EU and the US.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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