“I am confident that by working together we will be able to significantly increase our trade in the near future. By the way, in the first six months of 2023 alone, our import-export transactions with African countries increased by more than a third. The structure of our trade also looks good: machinery, equipment, chemicals and foodstuffs account for more than 50% of Russian exports to Africa”. This excerpt from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech at the opening of the second Russia-Africa forum held on July 27 and 28 in Saint Petersburg, bringing together delegations from 49 African countries, including 17 heads of state, says a lot about the issues of the day. Banished by the international community and subject to a number of economic sanctions because of the conflict between it and Ukraine, Russia sees Africa as a particularly interesting partner in the current context. For its part, Africa, which imports nearly 80% of its wheat from Russia, intends to make its voice heard, and its way, in this new world order which is being played out and of which Africa would like to be the new maker. King’s. Still, the African geopolitical context does not seem to simplify things.
On the one hand, putschists have loudly proclaimed their “friendship” with Russia. On the other hand, presidents, closely linked to other powers, play the card of diplomacy. The traditional family photo taken after the summit, in which African leaders “democratically” refused to pose alongside the “putschists” is more than revealing of the dissensions that exist on the continent. The only certainty is that Africa seems determined to preserve its interests. Faced with the status quo in the negotiations and given the importance of Russian imports on the continent, several African leaders have attempted mediation. If the results were not conclusive, the act gives rise to several lessons and seems to say a lot about the new dynamic.
Encouraged by a Russian leader who multiplies the appeals of the foot to their attention. Recalling that trade between Russia and Africa reached 18 billion US dollars in 2022, an increase of 35%, Vladimir Putin promised his hosts that Moscow will deliver, in the coming months, free of charge until 50,000 tons of grain to six countries, citing Zimbabwe , Somalia, Eritrea, Mali, Central African Republic and Burkina Faso. “Our country can replace Ukrainian cereals commercially but also in terms of free humanitarian deliveries,” he said. What to increase the relations between Russia and the continent, insignificant for the time being on the commercial level: Africa represents only 2% of the exchanges of Russia, and less than 1% of the foreign direct investments (FDI) mainly concentrated on mining activity . On the other hand,
Today, on both the Russian and African sides, the time has come to diversify relations in the energy, logistics, transport, agriculture, finance and health sectors, so many avenues for cooperation to explore will plead Vladimir Putin. First actor of the charm operation. There will be others for African leaders who are clearly ready to be seduced. Among the participants, the President of the Republic of Senegal, Macky Sall, who will have already met his Russian counterpart before the event, took advantage of this new forum to launch an appeal for “de-escalation” and avoid a crisis in Africa eating .
“One of the major concerns of Africa right now is continental and global peace and security. We want de-escalation to help calm and restore free trade in cereals and fertilizers. Along the same lines, I would like to renew my call for the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative Agreement and the removal of barriers to the fertilizer trade. It is on these two conditions that Africa could avoid a major food crisis, even as it continues to bear the full brunt of the harmful effects of the pandemic,” he pleaded. For the former president of the African Union, who is himself facing an acute political crisis in his country, Russia and Africa have avenues of cooperation to explore in all areas. From agriculture to agri-food, from infrastructure to hydrocarbons, including mining, transport, industry…
For his successor at the head of the Union, Azali Assoumani, this cooperation is all the most relevant in the context of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (Zlecaf). A foot call echoed by the chairman of the board of directors of Afreximbank, Benedict Oramah, assuring in passing that Afreximbank is ready to support Africans who would like to explore the opportunities of cooperation with Russia. “The Caf is a great opportunity to give new impetus and allow Africa to open up new perspectives,” he pleaded. The general idea that hovered around this summit. Far from Western considerations, Africa has responded, on several levels, to the invitation of the Russian President and intends to seize the opportunity of its context of international crisis and the stalemate of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, to pull its pin game. Not without ignoring the designs of Vladimir Putin who for his part sees the continent as a strategic pawn to play in a world chessboard which will see the return of the great Russia. Next meeting, the next BRICS meeting in South Africa in August 2023, of which Russia, a founding member, intends to take the lead in shaping a new “multipolar” world order in which Africa will have its full place. At least, according to the promises made at the summit.
Source: Africa News Agency