The second Russia-Africa Summit began in St. Petersburg, set to last for two days. Several African leaders arrived in the city to attend the summit, presided over by President Vladimir Putin. The summit is deemed a significant event that aims to strengthen relations with Africa, which is gaining more prominence on the global stage.
During the summit’s opening, President Putin highlighted the growth of trade relations with African countries, with commodity sales increasing by nearly 35% despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and sanctions.
President Putin stated that the summit would explore enhancing trade cooperation and food security. He emphasized Russia’s commitment to providing wheat and grains to African nations and expressed the nation’s interest in bolstering cooperation across various sectors.
In addition, Putin voiced Russia’s support for Africa’s inclusion in the Group of Twenty (G20) at the upcoming summit in India. He underscored Russia’s role as a vital partner to Africa and the importance of boosting trade between Russia and African countries.
The Russian President also condemned Western interference that hindered Russian grain exports and deprived impoverished countries of their rights. He expressed the intention to lift sanctions to restore grain exports and asserted Russia’s capability to compensate Africa for Ukrainian grain.
Furthermore, Russia pledged to provide grains to six African nations without charge in the coming months.
The President of the Comoros and the African Union, Azali Assoumani, commented on the summit’s significance, emphasizing its role as an important platform to discuss cooperation between Russia and Africa and address international issues of impact.
Assoumani underscored the challenges faced by Africa, including migration, security issues, food shortages, climate problems, and more. President Assoumani recognized Russia’s investments in his country’s development and appreciated Russia’s support for Africa’s liberation endeavors.
The Comoros President emphasized that the world confronts grave economic and political challenges, and highlighted the importance of using global resources to serve humanity.