Putin's 5th term began with a "new challenge" for Russia, Moroccan analyst, Abdelhak Najib, told Sputnik Africa on the occasion of Vladimir Putin's inauguration as Russia's president.
The atmosphere of tension with the West is forcing the Russian leader to "reconsider several positions and, above all, to propose a new strategy of cooperation with his partners," he said.
The current global context is "extremely tense", characterized by a "global monetary, financial and economic crisis". But despite numerous challenges, Moscow is "managing to cope very successfully with great agility," building alliances with countries in Asia and Africa, Najib said.
He praised "the Russian president's determination" in the face of "threats against Russia by certain countries such as France" and in the light of the nuclear drills recently announced by Moscow.
As for the African continent, it has "already found common ground with Vladimir Putin," he added.
Commenting on the leader's inaugural speeach, Head of Political Studies Department at South Africa's Cape Town University, Lere Amusan, told Sputnik Africa that Vladimir Putin is "a friend of Africa" and "a friend of South-South relations."