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Russia Needs to Bolster Trade With Africa, Offer 'Alternative Path', Says Official

11:21, 4 May 2023

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Gleb Chugunov

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Upon analyzing trade between Russia and Africa, the parties can at least double their turnover figures by 2030, stated Pavel Kalmychek, director of the Ministry of Economic Development's Department for the Development of Bilateral Cooperation during the 2nd International Parliamentary Conference "Russia – Africa in a Multipolar World".

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Russia should boost trade and economic cooperation with Africa, offering approaches different from the West, which continues to pursue a policy of imperialism, political analyst Igor Vittel told Sputnik.

"Our primary task in Africa is to demonstrate what we can offer the countries of the continent now, in contrast to the West, which is still pursuing an imperialist policy and continues to mercilessly plunder it [Africa], while fomenting conflicts there," he said.

First of all, in his opinion, Russia could try to give African countries, where civil wars and armed conflicts carry on, a guarantee of security.

"Today there is a chance, a hope, that we will begin to offer security to African countries. Trade and economic ties will pick up after that," the expert stressed.

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With that said, he noted that while building trade and economic relations with African countries at present, Moscow needs to find its own alternative path.

"Russia should become a mutually beneficial trade and economic partner for Africa," Wittel concluded.

This past March, the 2nd International Parliamentary Conference "Russia – Africa in a Multipolar World" was held in the State Duma. During the conference, Pavel Kalmychek, director of the Department for the Development of Bilateral Cooperation, predicted that the trade turnover between Russia and the continent may double by 2030, adding that joint efforts should be made in order to achieve such goals.

"The analysis of promising product niches in the African market conducted by the Ministry of Economic Development shows that by 2030 Russia and Africa can at least double the turnover figures," Kalmychek stressed. "Of course, for this, it is necessary to intensify joint efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation, boost expertise, reconfigure support tools and give additional resources to our development institutions."

He also touched upon the roadmap developed by specialists working for the Russian Ministry of Economic Development. The document has defined the joint activities of Russia and African countries in key areas of cooperation, such as industry, finance and banking, education, transportation, agriculture and fisheries, healthcare, information and communication technologies, and the media.

The conference was held in preparation for the forthcoming second Russia–Africa Summit, a major event in bilateral relations, which is going to take place in St. Petersburg, Russia from July 26 to 29.

The first such summit was held in Russia's Black Sea resort city of Sochi in 2019 and resulted in the summing up of a set of goals and objectives for further cooperation between Russia and the continent in spheres such as politics, security, economics, science, technology, culture, and the humanitarian field.