In this context, observers point out that Russia is seeking to open up more to the countries of the African continent and expand the network of common interests with them, as part of Russia’s attempts to encircle the Western blockade on it. In this context, a Russian-African summit took place on Friday in the Russian city of Sochi.
Senegalese President Macky Sall, who is also the president of the African Union for 2022, arrived in Russia after his election last February, during the 35th session of the African Union, to meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
After his meeting with Sall, Putin said, “I would like to mention that our country has always been on the side of Africa and supported it in the war against colonialism. We are in a new stage of development and we attach importance to our relations with African countries.”
He pointed out that the volume of trade exchange between Russia and Africa has increased by more than 34 percent since the beginning of this year.
For his part, the head of the African Union stressed that the sanctions imposed on Russia have deprived African countries of access to grain and fertilizer, which has exacerbated the problem of food security in Africa.
“The sanctions imposed on Russia have only increased the suffering and made the situation worse, because we are no longer able to get grain, especially Russian wheat, and most importantly, fertilizer, which poses a serious threat to food security on our continent,” he added.
Subsequently, Sall announced Friday that he left “reassured” from the meeting with Putin, telling reporters: “We leave here very confident and very pleased with our talks,” adding that he found the Russian president “committed and aware that the sanctions crisis is causing serious problems for weak economies such as African economies.” .
During the meeting, Sall stressed that African countries are suffering from the repercussions of the war in Ukraine, even though “the majority of African countries avoided condemning Russia” during the vote in the Security Council and the United Nations, and that they are with “Asia and the Middle East, as well as Latin America, a large part of humanity preferred to stay away from this.” dispute”.
He said that the turmoil in African and global food security and supply chains resulting from the war, was exacerbated by Western sanctions that affect Russia’s logistical, commercial and financial networks, calling for the food sector to be removed from the framework of the sanctions imposed by the West on Moscow.
Observers believe that the chances of success of the Russian endeavor to strengthen Moscow’s role and presence on the African arena in light of the sharp international interactions and alignments on the impact of the Ukraine crisis, appear strong in view of the wide range of areas and frameworks of cooperation and exchange between the two sides, which are supported by the historical backgrounds of the active Russian role in the brown continent, and relations The strong and traditional link that used to link the former Soviet Union to many countries of the African continent.
Observers also point out that Africa is indeed suffering from severe problems and crises and a complex political, development and security complex, but it remains pregnant with promising opportunities, with its great human and natural energies, and its vital geostrategic location among the world’s continents and regions.
Eyes on Africa
Commenting on the significance of the escalation of the Russian-African flirtation and its repercussions on the Ukrainian crisis and the scene of feverish competition and confrontation between Russia and Western countries, Muhammad Saleh Al-Harbi, a researcher in international relations and a strategic and security expert, said in an interview with “Sky News Arabia”: “Africa is a very important continent, without a doubt, Everyone is the same about Africa, as it is the heart of the world, and here we only remember the saying of Ben-Gurion who used to say, The way to Africa is the way to the world.
Regarding the introductions and backgrounds of this increasing Russian presence in the African continent, the strategist says: “Moscow’s influence and presence in Africa has been steadily and remarkably increasing since 2014, especially after the control of the Crimea, which triggered a crisis that almost escalated into a war at the time similar to the cycle now about 4 years ago. Between Moscow and Kiev, it is generally noted over the past decade how the Russian influence and penetration, directly and indirectly, in Africa, constituted a milestone in the scene of international relations and the competition of major players for areas of influence and control.
With the increasing talk about the impact of the Ukrainian war about the stifling food crisis and the risk of famine, as Al-Harbi explains, “The African continent, with its competencies, skilled labor, vast areas and fertile land suitable for developing agriculture and investment in its various productive and industrial sectors, can play an important role in Sparing the world the specter of its current crises from worsening more than what is happening, and it would almost be a food basket for the whole world if its capabilities and wealth were employed in a correct and fruitful manner, in addition to its geopolitical importance as the second largest continent in the world after Asia in terms of population and area. over strategic oceans, seas and waterways.
Al-Harbi added, “Now, international investments will flow from different regions of the world towards Africa, which will turn into an attractive area in light of the stifling food crisis left by the Russian and Ukrainian wars, and to compensate for the severe shortage in products and stocks of strategic food commodities globally, especially grains and grains, which directly threatens Global food security, and these Russian trends naturally fall into these contexts.”
The Kremlin had said before the start of the talks between the Russian and African leaders, that it would include issues of interaction and economic and humanitarian cooperation between Russia and African countries, and the talks would include issues of supplying fertilizers, grains and foodstuffs.
According to the Kremlin, he also participated in the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin, the President of the African Union, President of Senegal Macky Sall, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had congratulated African heads of state and government on the occasion of Africa Day on May 25, stressing Russia’s appreciation for the historical friendship ties it has with African partners.
Putin expressed Russia’s appreciation for traditional friendly relations with African partners, stressing Moscow’s unwavering support for their efforts to resolve local conflicts, combat terrorism, extremism, drug smuggling, epidemic diseases and other common challenges threatening regional and global security.
The last Russia-Africa summit was held in October of 2019 in the Russian city of Sochi, and was chaired at the time by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
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