Sputnik brings you all the most recent information, major events, heroes and views, including breaking news, images, videos, analyses, and features.

Russian-African Business Relations Established on Mutual Basis, Unlike West, Says Zakharova

10:35, 5 June 2024

Go to the mediabank

Muhammad Nooh Osman

Writer/Editor

All materials

Russian business, unlike the West, builds relations with African partners on the principles of equality and mutual respect, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik.

Sputnik

The diplomat noted that Russian companies in Africa “behave differently” compared to Western companies.

"[Relations are] based on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and mutual benefit. Our businesses, companies, enterprises, and institutions that come to the African continent not only develop a certain infrastructure project; they see great prospects and are ready to take big steps, again, not as some kind of charity but as an opportunity for mutual enrichment in the humanitarian sphere," she said.

As Zakharova pointed out, Russian companies are engaged in the development of African countries, which they "need so much, given their colonial past."

At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman noted that even in modern times, there is a "neo-colonial" approach that "the West is still trying to realize with regard to African states, especially those that are rich in natural resources."

Opinion

'Desire for Closer Ties': French Writer on Russia's FM Visit to Africa

4 June, 19:41

The diplomat drew attention to the fact that Western companies involved in exploration in Africa "did not bear any responsibility for not telling the authorities, the people, what they owned, because they did not consider [African] countries as owners of their own subsoil resources."

"As I was told by local experts, the same French who were engaged in geological exploration, mining, processing, and trading in minerals, although they were in a foreign country and in many ways still are, did not even inform the local side of the information they obtained while exploring the subsoil of this or that state," Zakharova shared.

"In this there is not only commercial intent, an element of their own economic security, there is precisely an element of humiliating attitude to countries and peoples that, in their opinion, belong to the category 'not A', that is, not to the first category, are states that are not part of the 'club of the chosen', which, as they believe, should be satisfied with the role of service," stated the official. "They were not even going to tell about the opportunities that people have in these countries. They kept this information for themselves."