“Unlike the Western countries, which politics is usually prescriptive. And that is why Russia's economic engagement in Africa tends to be less prescriptive. And while for example, Russia's involvement is often viewed positively by African governments seeking to diversify, first of all, their economic ties and reduce dependence on Western donors,” she says.
“Here we can see that Russian projects don't exploit something just to get the resources. They try to train staff in order for African countries to be independent afterward,” she points out.
“Western countries may provide aid to African countries in the form of loans or grants, only to later ask for repayment with high interest rates or trade concessions that benefit Western corporations. First of all and this dynamic reinforces perceptions of Western aid as a means of economic dependence and inequality,” the lecturer stresses.