Russia and Africa must grow together in a multipolar world. This is the increasingly clear vision of the Moscow authorities as they seek new partners to overcome Western ostracism and sanctions following last year’s invasion of Ukraine. A vision strongly reaffirmed in the past two days during a parliamentary conference held in Moscow and which was attended by about 40 delegations of African states, according to the Russian authorities.
“Our country has always given and will continue to give priority to cooperation with African states,” underlined Russian President Vladimir Putin in his speech to the Duma, the lower house of the federal assembly. However, the stated objective now is to consolidate relations with those who do not condemn Russia for its aggression. And since last year African states have been the most lukewarm in expressing themselves in international forums against Moscow, often abstaining or voting against the sentences. This is why “we are ready to define the global agenda together,” Putin said.
The line of greater international cooperation with the African continent was also underlined by the president of the Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, according to whom relations between Russia and Africa “are in a new phase”. Russia and African countries, he continued, “are united by shared goals: we are united to build a multipolar and just world based on respect for the traditions, culture and history of the countries with which we are building mutually beneficial cooperation”. Together with Africa, Moscow can “resist any external pressure, as we have already done in our history”.
The conference that was held in Moscow from 19 to 20 March aimed at strengthening parliamentary cooperation with African countries, developing, as the Russian agency Tass writes, “common relationships and approaches to legal regulation in the economy, in the field of science and education, as well as in the field of security”. The summit brought together representatives of the scientific, educational and expert communities of Russia and African countries, as well as parliamentarians and heads of federal agencies, presidents of Russian regional legislatures and representatives of the business community.
The real horizon for Moscow, however, is the next Russia-Africa forum which is scheduled for July 26 to 29 in St. Petersburg and during which it aims to consolidate renewed relations with many African states, even if Western pressure the latter so that they do not participate in large numbers at the meeting.
In the meantime, Vladimir Putin has made a promise to countries concerned about the tensions surrounding the renewal of the agreement on cereals, and to those wondering what will happen if Russia says stop after the 60-day extension just decided, writes Rfi. Moscow will deliver grain to the neediest countries for free, in case of a violation of the agreement. But, as we know, friendship “is a two-way street”, as Volodin said, and Moscow seems to have taken the first step decisively. [Da Redazione InfoAfrica]
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