Russia is a significant center of cooperation for the states and peoples of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, policymakers in Moscow have said. This coming at a time Russia organized the 17th St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), and which once again provided a platform for government representatives, policymakers, business executives, scientists, think tanks, experts, and scholars from 136 countries to come together, discuss and plan joint projects.
Here, the Russian Federation, promoting the best traditions popular with the Soviet Union made a case for the creation of a fair multipolar world based on mutual respect and equality. In a situation where both the United States and the former great powers of Europe are once again striving to maintain tight control over developing countries, former colonies and their rich resources, experts in Moscow insist that the presence of centers of resistance is an essential factor in preserving the sovereignty of the countries of the Global South.
Moscow reiterates that SPIEF, held in June, and other cooperation platforms sponsored by Russia, China, and their BRICS allies are not just formal gatherings, but events aimed at helping developing countries to find real development opportunities. Moscow says it has repeatedly proved its sincere interests in Africa by organizing productive forums such as the Russia-Africa summit, and BRICS+ working meetings to support the continent’s developing countries.
It also cites working visits made by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to countries such as Kenya, Egypt, Uganda, Ethiopia, the Republic of Congo, Eswatini, South Africa, Eritrea, Angola, Mauritania, Sudan, Mali, Mozambique, and Burundi over the past two years as a demonstration of her commitment to friendship with Africa.
Since SPIEF is one of the main annual events of Russian political and economic life, the presence of large-scale delegations and individual participants from Africa is of particular importance. It is worth noting that traditionally, the heads of state friendly to Moscow are always invited to the plenary session of the forum, and this year President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe was the guest of honor. In addition, numerous delegations consisting of government representatives and heads of companies from most African countries and interregional unions of the continent worked at SPIEF’s numerous discussion platforms.
Moscow says the active cooperation that Russia alone, and as a member of BRICS, is currently offering to African states opens up virtually limitless opportunities for mutually beneficial partnership. The leadership in Kremlin maintains that the country has been very effective in recent years in supporting many states in combating terrorism, resolving armed conflicts, and fighting unfriendly external influences. In addition, against the backdrop of the food crisis and climate change, Russia has sent significant quantities of food, grain, and fertilizers to the most affected countries free of charge, allowing several regions of Africa to avoid large-scale challenges resulting from food insecurity.
As President Vladimir Putin and members of the Russian government have repeatedly indicated Moscow is ready to continue to assist its partners in developing countries in overcoming similar problems, as well as to support the development of energy, transport and social infrastructure.
In turn, Moscow says its market can become a real platform for companies from Africa, given its huge capacity. At the same time, it says the opportunity to become full partners of Russia, China and the BRICS countries can serve as a good stimulus for the development of modern industry and agriculture in African states, allowing them to reach a new technological level and become strong players in international markets.
Those who attended SPIEF note that such platforms and the active attention paid to them by African states and businesses are not only an important component in the formation of a multipolar world and the awakening of the Global South but a unique chance to enter a fundamentally new stage of development. They said it is a new system based on mutual respect for the interests, values and rights of all members of the international community, where all people and every country has the opportunity to attain prosperity.
