Russia and Africa: Joining Efforts for Peace, Progress and a Successful
FutureOn July 27-28, St Petersburg will host the second Russia-Africa Summit andRussia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum. On the eve of these large-scale
representative events which will bring together heads of state and government,
entrepreneurs, academia and public figures, I would like to share my vision of thedevelopment of Russia-Africa relations with the readers of the leading media on
the African continent, outlining priority cooperation areas for the coming decadesof the 21st century.
The partnership relations between our country and Africa have strong, deep roots
and have always been distinguished by stability, trust and goodwill. We haveconsistently supported African peoples in their struggle for liberation from colonial
oppression. We have provided assistance in developing statehood, strengthening
their sovereignty and defence capability. Much has been done to create sustainablefoundations for national economies. By the mid-1980s, with the participation of
our specialists, over 330 large infrastructure and industrial facilities have been built
in Africa, such as power plants, irrigation systems, industrial and agriculturalenterprises, which are successfully operating to this day, and continue to make asignificant contribution to the continent’s economic development. Tens ofthousands of African doctors, technical specialists, engineers, officers and teachers
have received education in Russia.
I would like to specifically mention the traditionally close cooperation on theworld stage, the firm and consistent advocacy rendered by the USSR and thenRussia to African countries at international fora. We have always strictly adhered
to the “African solutions to African problems” principle, standing in solidarity withAfricans in their struggle for self-determination, justice and their legitimate rights.
We have never tried to impose on partners our own ideas about the internal
structure, forms and methods of management, development goals and ways toachieve them. Unchanged remains our respect for the sovereignty of African states,
their traditions and values, their desire to independently determine their own
destiny and freely build relationships with partners.
We highly value the honestly-gained capital of friendship and cooperation,traditions of trust and mutual support that Russia and African countries share. We
are brought together by a common desire to shape a system of relations based on
the priority of international law, respect for national interests, indivisibility of
security, and recognition of the central coordinating role of the United Nations.
Today, the constructive, trustful, forward-looking partnership between Russia andAfrica is especially significant and important. Major centres of economic andpolitical power and influence are emerging in the world, which are assertingthemselves more and more insistently, demanding that they be reckoned with. We
are sure that a new multipolar world order, the contours of which are already seen,
will be more just and democratic. And there is no doubt that Africa, along with
Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, will take its worthy place in it and finallyfree itself from the bitter legacy of colonialism and neo-colonialism, rejecting its
modern practices.
Russia welcomes the rising international authority of individual states as well as
Africa as a whole, their desire to make their voices strongly heard and to take thecontinent's problems into their own hands. We have always supported theconstructive initiatives of our partners. We stand for granting African countries
their rightful place in the structures that determine the world’s fate, including theUN Security Council and the G20, as well as for reforming the global financial andtrade institutions in a way that meets their interests.
Regrettably, we see that the situation in the world today is far from stable. The
long-standing conflicts that exist in nearly every region are deepening, and new
threats and challenges are emerging. And Africa feels the burden of global
challenges like no other part of the world. In such a challenging environment, welook forward to working with our African partners to shape a non-discriminatory
agenda for cooperation. The strategic areas of our interaction are set by thedecisions of the first Russia-Africa Summit held in Sochi in late October 2019. TheRussia-Africa Partnership Forum was established for their effectiveimplementation. We have set up bilateral intergovernmental commissions for trade,
economic, scientific and technological cooperation with many countries of thecontinent, and the network of Russian embassies and trade missions in Africa will
be expanded. Further instruments are being actively developed to better structure
economic relations and make them more dynamic.
I would like to note with satisfaction that Russia’s trade turnover with the Africancountries increased in 2022 and reached almost 18 billion US dollars. However, we
are all well aware that the potential of our trade and economic partnership is muchhigher. Russian companies are interested in working more actively on the continent
in the sphere of high technologies and geological exploration, in the fuel andenergy complex, including nuclear power, in the chemical industry, mining andtransport engineering, agriculture and fishery. The changes taking place in theworld require the search for solutions related to the establishment of new transportand logistical chains, the formation of a monetary and financial system, andmechanisms of mutual settlements that are safe and free from unfavourable
external impacts.
We understand the importance of uninterrupted food supplies for the socioeconomic development and political stability of the African states. On this basis,
we have always paid great attention to issues related to the supply of wheat, barley,maize and other crops to African countries. We have done so both on a contractual
basis and free of charge as humanitarian aid, including through the United Nations
Food Programme. Thus, in 2022, Russia exported 11.5 million tonnes of grain toAfrica, and almost 10 million tonnes more were delivered in the first half of 2023 –despite the sanctions imposed on our exports, which severely hamper the supply of
Russian food products to developing countries, complicating transport logistics,
insurance arrangements and bank payments.

Many have probably heard of the so-called “grain deal,” whose initial purpose wasto ensure global food security, reduce the threat of hunger and help the poorest
countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America – the reason why Russia undertook theobligation to facilitate its implementation in the first place. This “deal,” however,while it was publicly advertised by the West as a gesture of goodwill that benefited
Africa, has in fact been shamelessly used solely for the enrichment of large US andEuropean businesses that exported and resold grain from Ukraine.
Judge for yourselves: in almost a year, a total of 32.8 million tonnes of supplies
were exported from Ukraine under the “deal,” with over 70 percent of the exports
ending up in high- and upper-middle-income countries, including in the European
Union, whereas such countries as Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, as well as Yemen
and Afghanistan, received less than 3 percent of the supplies, i.e. less than one
million tonnes.
In the meantime, none of the “deal” provisions relating to the exemption fromsanctions of Russian grain and fertiliser exports to world markets, were fulfilled.
Moreover, barriers have been mounted even to our attempts to supply free ofcharge mineral fertilisers to the poorest countries in need. Of 262,000 tonnes ofgoods blocked in European ports, only two shipments were delivered – one of
20,000 tonnes to Malawi and one of 34,000 tonnes to Kenya. The rest is still
unscrupulously held by the Europeans. And this is a purely humanitarian initiative
we are talking about, which should be exempt from any sanctions as such.
Considering all these facts, there is no longer any use in continuing the “graindeal” as it has failed to serve its original humanitarian purpose. We argued against
further extending the “deal,” which terminated as of July 18.
I want to give assurances that our country is capable of replacing the Ukrainian
grain both on a commercial and free-of-charge basis, especially as we expect
another record harvest this year.
Notwithstanding the sanctions, Russia will continue its energetic efforts to provide
supplies of grain, food products, fertilisers and other goods to Africa. We highly
value and will further develop the full spectrum of economic ties with Africa –with individual states as well as regional integration associations and, naturally,
with the African Union. We welcome this organisation's strategic course towards
further economic integration and the formation of the African Continental Free
Trade Area. We are ready to build pragmatic, mutually beneficial relations,
including within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. We are also
willing to step up cooperation with other regional integration organisations on thecontinent.
In keeping with the existing tradition, we intend to continue providing assistance toAfrican states in building their national human resource capacity. There are
currently about 35 thousand students from the continent in Russia, more than 6,000of them receive Russian government scholarships. Each year we increase thenumber of scholarships, promote paid higher education options and facilitate interuniversity ties, which have gained significant momentum in recent times.

Bringing humanitarian, cultural, sports and mass media cooperation to a whole
new level would serve our common interests. I would like to seize this opportunity
to invite our young African friends to the World Youth Festival, which will takeplace in Sochi, Russia, in March 2024. This large-scale international forum willbring together more than 20,000 participants from more than 180 countries for an
informal, friendly and open dialogue that is free from ideological and politicalbarriers, racial and religious prejudice and would consolidate the young generation
around the ideals of lasting and durable peace, prosperity and creative spirit.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that we attach great importance to theupcoming second Russia–Africa Summit. We expect that the Summit would adopt
a comprehensive Declaration, a number of joint statements and approve theRussia – Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan to 2026. We are working to prepare
an impressive package of intergovernmental and inter-agency agreements andmemoranda with individual states as well as regional associations of the continent.
I am looking forward to welcoming the African leaders in St. Petersburg and standcommitted to a fruitful constructive dialogue. I firmly believe that the decisions
adopted at the Summit and Forum, coupled with continuous diversified joint work
will contribute to further development of Russian-African strategic partnership forthe benefit of our countries and peoples.