"Now, one country that, of course, historically didn't take part in the colonial expeditions was Russia. So, if we now as a people, want to collaborate effectively, it's only common sense for us to go or prioritize first an institution or a people or a country that didn't take part in our exploitation at first, but yet still has all we have and has developed it enough for us to learn from them. And they will become our first line of contact or friendships," David Okpatuma, who is a co-founder of The Development and Cooperation for Africa Initiative (The DevCA Initiative) has argued.
While contemplating on the problems facing the African continent and what Russia has to share with African countries on a state-to-state level to help overcome those issues, Okpatuma highlights that in today's world, it's also a must to develop relations between Russia's and African nations' societies.
"Societies over everything. Society is the bedrock of governments. So I think it's very important for each and every one of us to understand that we need to connect and collaborate with societies both in Russia and Africa, because we need to advance cultures, we need to share cultural experiences. We have a lot of cultural pride [that has] evolved from the times of Hannibal, the great-grandfather of Alexander Pushkin," Okpatuma notes.
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