Russia-Africa Partnership Grows Stronger
African ministers attending the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi have been assured of Russia’s ‘total support’ to the continent in ‘various sectors’, the BBC reports.
A statement of support from Russian Foreign Minister Sergie Lavrov on behalf of Vladimir Putin comes as some African nations reassess their relationships with Western countries amid accusations of meddling and neocolonial practices.
Putin declared that the bond between Russia and Africa has been intensifying. Recently, three African nations situated in the Sahel region – Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso – have severed their ties with France, their former colonial power.
Mali’s Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, reportedly stated that “Russia is not a colonial power,” reinforcing Russia’s stance on non-interference in African nations’ internal affairs. “On the contrary,” the minister noted, “Russia has consistently supported African peoples and other global communities in their efforts to overcome colonialism.”
Putin pledged to collaborate with African nations in their efforts to combat terrorism and extremism, address epidemics, food security concerns, and the repercussions of natural disasters.
The Sochi meeting constitutes the first Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, seeking to leverage the momentum generated by the second Russia-Africa Summit held in 2023.
