Africa is Becoming Center of Power, This Reality Will Have to Be Reckoned With, Putin Says
10:00 28.07.2023 (Updated: 10:50 03.08.2023)
© Sputnik . Pavel Bednyakov
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The president's statement was made during a plenary session with 17 African leaders of the second day of Russia-Africa Summit and Humanitarian Forum, that is taking place in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.
The African continent is becoming a new center of power, and everyone will have to reckon with this objective reality, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
"I would also like to note that before our eyes the African continent is becoming a new center of power, its political and economic role is growing exponentially. And everyone will have to reckon with this objective reality," Putin stated.
The president also stated that some countries are now changing international norms and use them for their own selfish interests.
"We cannot agree with the replacement of international law by the so-called order based on rules that some countries themselves declare, but they themselves constantly distort, change, shuffle [these norms]," the president noted.
According to the president, ideals of freedom, integrity, sovereignty that are shared by African leaders are now important during establishment of multipolar world order.
However, Putin noted that the situation in many regions of Africa is unstable, this is a heavy legacy of colonialism, the "divide and rule" course.
"We also have to admit that the situation in many regions of Africa remains unstable. Interethnic and ethnic conflicts have not been settled, acute political and socio-economic crises persist. This, of course, is a heavy legacy of the colonial era, the divide and rule course that Western metropolises conducted in Africa," he elaborated.
According to the president, some manifestations of colonialism have still not been eliminated, with former metropolises still practicing it.
"Unfortunately, some manifestations of colonialism have still not been eliminated and are being practiced by former metropolises in the economy, information and humanitarian areas," Putin stressed.
Putin stated that Russia will provide around $90 million to African countries in debt relief.
"Russia is taking part in debt relief efforts for African countries. At the moment, we have written off a total of $23 billion in debt. On recent requests of African countries, we will allocate over $90 million more for these development purposes," he explained.
Putin also noted that Russia is increasing delivery of agriculture products to the African countries, and supplied nearly 10 million tonnes of grain this year.
"Understanding the importance of an uninterrupted food supply for the socio-economic development and maintaining the political stability of African states, we are increasing the supply of agricultural products to Africa. So, in 2022, 11.5 million tonnes of grain were sent to African countries, and almost 10 million [were sent] in the first six months of this year alone," he said.
The president stressed that Russia and the African continent share strong ties of friendship.
"Russia and Africa are traditionally bound by strong ties of friendship and close mutually beneficial relations, the foundations of which were laid back in the middle of the last century during the struggle of the peoples of the African continent for their freedom," the president outlined.
The president also stated that Russia is ready to open new diplomatic missions and increase its diplomatic staff in the African nations.
"Russia's attention to Africa is consistently growing, and our plans to increase diplomatic presence on the continent show it. We are ready to open and reopen diplomatic missions and increase staff in a number of existing embassies," the leader further noted.
Moreover, he stated that the Russian embassies in Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea will resume operation in the near future.
"After years of pause, Russian embassies in Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea will resume operations in near future. We are going to expand the network of the Russian cultural centers. They are successfully functioning in eight African countries and there will be even more of them in a number of countries in near future," the presdient stated.
He elaborated that the level of Russia’s interaction with the Central African Republic in all most sensitive areas will be maintained, the countries have many opportunities for cooperation.
"It [the high level of relations] will certainly be maintained in all our most sensitive areas of interaction. There is no doubt about it. But we have to do even more, we have many opportunities" he said at the Russia-Africa summit.
Speaking of African Russia-Ukraine Peace Initiative, the president stated his country treats Africa’s plan with respect as this is an acute crisis.
"Let's take, for example, the initiative of a number of African states to resolve the Ukrainian crisis. This is an acute problem, we do not avoid discussing it. This in itself says a lot, because before any intermediary missions were monopolized exclusively by countries with the so-called developed democracy. Not anymore, now Africa is also ready to help in solving problems that seem to be outside the zone of its primary interests. We respect your initiatives and consider them carefully," the head of state said.
