Russian President Vladimir Putin has affirmed that Moscow will continue supporting African countries despite sanctions aimed at deterring his country from lending a helping hand.
Addressing African Foreign Ministers attending the first ministerial Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi, Putin insisted that his administration is committed to supporting African nations.
He said Russia will take its partnership with African
countries to the next level by enhancing partnerships across the continent.
“I would like to confirm that our country will continue
providing comprehensive support to our African friends in various areas,’’
Putin told the forum in a speech read on his behalf by Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov.
He said Moscow will continue to support Africa in the
areas of sustainable development, such as fighting terrorism and extremism,
addressing epidemics and diseases, tackling food security, and overcoming the
aftermath of natural disasters.
The Russian president said that his country attaches special
importance to strengthening friendly ties with African countries because of
shared common aspirations for building “a just, multipolar world order
characterised by equality”.
“The world must be freed “from any forms of discrimination,
dictatorships, or the pressure of sanctions,” Putin said, praising African
nations for resisting the pressure to “isolate” his country.
“African countries are enjoying a growing presence on the
global stage; they pursue a peace-loving foreign policy and play an
increasingly significant role in vital international issues,” he said.
Putin described the cooperation between the Russian
Federation and African states as becoming “richer and more versatile.”
“This is confirmed by the agenda of the two-day ministerial
conference. The heads of foreign policy agencies will not only consider various
aspects of implementing the action plan for the partnership forum from 2023 to
2026 but will also outline new promising areas for mutually beneficial
cooperation,”
African leaders attending the conference expressed gratitude
to President Putin for his ongoing efforts to strengthen relations with Africa,
as demonstrated through initiatives such as hosting major partnership forums.
The President of Mauritania and Chairperson of the African
Union, Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed Ould Ghazouani said Africa needs to work
hard to strengthen its relationship with Russia.
“This relationship continues to be built on mutual respect
and mutual interests. This is something we see in Russia. Russia is a major
partner in strengthening African economies,’’ he said.
“This event is taking place at a time when the world faces
significant challenges. These challenges call for unity in our efforts. They
require us to take urgent steps to counter those who seek to impose their rules
and make decisions, including in the political and economic dimensions.”
Kenya’s ambassador to Moscow Peter Mathuki said Nairobi is actively seeking a mutually beneficial partnership with Russia, focusing on enhancing trade and economic cooperation between the two nations.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Partnership
Forum Mathuki, noted that President Putin’s administration is prepared to make
substantial investments in Kenya and the rest of Africa. Consequently, Nairobi
aims to benefit from this initiative.
“Russia is ready to invest in Africa and is looking for
countries to partner with. This forum is crucial as it highlights areas for
collaboration regarding Kenya-Russia ties,” he said.
Mathuki revealed that Nairobi is negotiating with Moscow on sectors with significant investment potential. He emphasized that Kenya, as the economic powerhouse of East Africa, is an ideal place for investment.
“Kenya is the place,
and that is what we are presenting here,” he said
He said that there are numerous opportunities in
agriculture, and Kenya intends to leverage Russian technologies and expertise
to enhance its food security goals.
“Russia is eager to invest in Kenya’s agriculture. The
country is highly advanced in this field and wishes to transfer its
agricultural technologies to us. We have invited them to invest and support
Kenya in achieving food security,” he said.
