Understanding the deep foundations of\u00a0Russian-African cooperation, knowledge of\u00a0the problems Africans face, understanding the essence of\u00a0their request for cooperation can become a\u00a0serious competitive advantage for Russia in\u00a0the current geopolitical conditions.<\/p>\n
By Elena Kharitonova<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Russia has planned a\u00a0number of\u00a0events related to\u00a0the African continent for 2023. First of\u00a0all, they include the second Russia-Africa Summit, which is\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0held in\u00a0St. Petersburg in\u00a0July 2023. This summit will take place amid new geopolitical circumstances, in\u00a0conditions of\u00a0fierce confrontation and active, even aggressive opposition from the countries of\u00a0the \u201ccollective West\u201d. In\u00a0April 2022, the US\u00a0House of\u00a0Representatives approved a\u00a0bill titled \u201cCountering Malign Russian Activities in\u00a0Africa.\u201d Congress is\u00a0waiting for reports from the State Department on\u00a0Russia\u2019s priorities in\u00a0Africa in\u00a0various areas, including in\u00a0the political sphere (referring to\u00a0Moscow\u2019s alleged attempts to\u00a0\u201cmanipulate\u201d African governments, voters and diasporas). In\u00a0the economic field, America is\u00a0interested in\u00a0Russia\u2019s participation in\u00a0\u201cstrategic sectors\u201d (primarily the exploration and extraction of\u00a0natural resources), as\u00a0well as\u00a0cooperation in\u00a0the field of\u00a0communication and information technologies. The United States is\u00a0particularly interested in\u00a0the deployment of\u00a0Russian military bases and other forms of\u00a0military cooperation. The bill also\u00a0provides<\/a>\u00a0for the \u201cpunishment\u201d of\u00a0African countries by\u00a0the United States for cooperation with Russia in\u00a0various fields.<\/p>\n Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called congressional bill \u201can\u00a0American provocation\u201d, which, in\u00a0fact, testifies to\u00a0Washington\u2019s colonial approach toward the countries of\u00a0the African continent. This legislative initiative has provoked the indignation of\u00a0the leaders of\u00a0a\u00a0number of\u00a0African countries. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, at\u00a0a\u00a0meeting with Biden, spoke about the injustice of\u00a0the United States to\u00a0punish African countries for ties to\u00a0Russia. The speaker of\u00a0the National Assembly of\u00a0Zimbabwe, Jacob Mudenda, said that \u201cthe African countries reacted with disgust to\u00a0the\u00a0US bill to\u00a0counteract the \u2018malicious activities of\u00a0the Russian Federation in\u00a0Africa\u2019 because it\u00a0is\u00a0an\u00a0encroachment on\u00a0the sovereignty and territorial integrity of\u00a0the states that support Russia.\u201d In\u00a0addition, the Washington Post\u00a0mentions<\/a>\u00a0a\u00a0senior official in\u00a0the\u00a0US administration, who noted that African countries are unhappy when it\u00a0comes to\u00a0sanctions against Russia or\u00a0openly criticise Moscow.<\/p>\n On\u00a0December 13-15, 2022, the first US-Africa Summit in\u00a0eight years was held in\u00a0Washington, DC. It\u00a0was attended by\u00a0the leaders of\u00a049\u00a0African states, representatives from about three hundred American and African companies, as\u00a0well as\u00a0the head of\u00a0the African Union Commission. The summit also outlined goals related to\u00a0blocking the Russian presence on\u00a0the African continent. Washington tried to\u00a0demonstrate that cooperation with the United States is\u00a0more beneficial for Africa than cooperation with Russia and China. African countries were offered grants for the development of\u00a0their economic, military, technological and scientific potential. A\u00a0$350 million investment in\u00a0digital transformation has been proposed. The White House has pledged $55 billion over three years to\u00a0support Africa\u2019s economy, healthcare and security.<\/p>\n Four countries\u00a0\u2014 Gambia, Mauritania, Senegal and Togo\u00a0\u2014\u00a0were the first to\u00a0receive grants<\/a>\u00a0from their North American \u201cpartner\u201d through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which finances projects in\u00a0countries that meet key governance standards. Thus, the President of\u00a0Senegal, Macky Sall, met Joe Biden during a\u00a0reception at\u00a0the White House within the framework of\u00a0the summit and was among the first to\u00a0receive an\u00a0American grant. In\u00a0general, all the \u201cplayers\u201d participating in\u00a0the so-called \u201cfight for Africa\u201d offer various projects, investments, goods, humanitarian aid, scholarships, grants and loans.<\/p>\n The above examples are by\u00a0no\u00a0means a\u00a0complete list of\u00a0\u201cinitiatives\u201d on\u00a0the part of\u00a0the\u00a0US and\u00a0EU countries, which are designed to\u00a0block and\/or hinder the development of\u00a0Russian-African relations. Earlier, on\u00a0February\u00a018, 2022, following the results of\u00a0the 6th EU-African Union Summit (Brussels, 2022), the launch of\u00a0a\u00a0large-scale programme was announced to\u00a0attract investments in\u00a0Africa in\u00a0excess of\u00a0\u20ac150 billion for the period up\u00a0to\u00a02030, including both private and public investment. This programme is\u00a0part of\u00a0the overall European Global Gateway investment strategy. The objective of\u00a0the project is\u00a0to\u00a0strengthen the role of\u00a0the European Union in\u00a0developing countries in\u00a0general and in\u00a0African countries in\u00a0particular. It\u00a0should be\u00a0noted that this strategy is\u00a0considered a\u00a0way to\u00a0counter the Chinese Belt and Road initiative. The EU\u00a0and the African Union\u00a0announced<\/a>\u00a0the launch of\u00a0an\u00a0investment programme in\u00a0Africa worth \u20ac150\u00a0billion. The Western strategy to\u00a0eliminate competitors extends to\u00a0China. The growth of\u00a0investment in\u00a0the development of\u00a0Africa is\u00a0part of\u00a0the foreign policy of\u00a0European countries that are striving to\u00a0restore and strengthen their influence on\u00a0the continent. As\u00a0an\u00a0example of\u00a0African funding programmes, and in\u00a0fact, American neo-colonial ambitions, one should name the American Prosper Africa project, adopted in\u00a02019 by\u00a0the Trump administration at\u00a0the US-Africa business summit in\u00a0Mozambique (experts consider this project as\u00a0a\u00a0way to\u00a0\u201csubdue<\/a>\u00a0the African continent\u201d).<\/p>\n The project is\u00a0aimed at\u00a0discrediting the policies of\u00a0China and Russia in\u00a0Africa. According to\u00a0Bolton, \u201cThe American approach is\u00a0independence, self-sufficiency and growth.\u201d One of\u00a0the objectives of\u00a0the Prosperous Africa project is\u00a0to\u00a0promote American liquefied natural gas in\u00a0Africa.<\/p>\n The European Union\u2019s Horizon Europe project, calculated to\u00a0have a\u00a0budget of\u00a095.5 billion euros which will last until 2027, contains an\u00a0African department with a\u00a0budget of\u00a0350 million euros for two years. This money is\u00a0allocated for the introduction of\u00a0innovations and joint research in\u00a0the field of\u00a0healthcare and the fight against infectious diseases, in\u00a0the field of\u00a0green energy, climate change, information and communication technology, etc.<\/p>\n In\u00a0addition, a\u00a0fairly large number of\u00a0charitable foundations and NGOs operate in\u00a0African countries that finance individual projects in\u00a0the field of\u00a0healthcare, green energy, agriculture and innovation (for example, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which, in\u00a0particular, is\u00a0actively promoting genetically modified seeds in\u00a0Africa and thus acts as\u00a0a\u00a0guide for manufacturers such as\u00a0Dupont, Arcadia Biosciences and Monsanto) as\u00a0well as\u00a0the L\u2019Oreal Foundation (France), the Gerda Henkel Foundation (Germany), etc.<\/p>\n Since extreme poverty in\u00a0Africa has not been eliminated, there are many problems that are still difficult to\u00a0solve without \u201cdonor\u201d support. Africa is\u00a0forced to\u00a0accept assistance from a\u00a0number of\u00a0countries, including its former colonial masters. At\u00a0the same time, Africans understand the complexity of\u00a0the situation; they try to\u00a0regulate the factors that make Africa dependent on\u00a0finance and technology donor countries, and think about the need to\u00a0maintain a\u00a0balance of\u00a0power. Therefore, even despite the attempts of\u00a0Western countries to\u00a0increase pressure on\u00a0Africa, including numerous \u201ccarrots\u201d in\u00a0the form of\u00a0grants and promises of\u00a0financial support, contacts between Russia and the countries of\u00a0the African continent are developing. Sergey Lavrov\u2019s visits to\u00a0African countries, including South Africa, Eritrea, Angola, Eswatini, Mali, Mauritania and Sudan, where summit meetings were held, indicate that both sides are interested in\u00a0cooperation, that the force of\u00a0attraction between Russia and Africa has deep roots, which are not necessarily limited to\u00a0the sphere of\u00a0financial, trade and economic relations.<\/p>\n Understanding the deep foundations of Russian-African cooperation, knowledge of the problems Africans face, understanding the essence of their request for cooperation can become a serious competitive advantage for Russia in the current geopolitical conditions.<\/p>\n https:\/\/valdaiclub.com\/a\/highlights\/russia-africa-relations-in-search-of-grounds\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Understanding the deep foundations of\u00a0Russian-African cooperation, knowledge of\u00a0the problems Africans face, understanding the essence of\u00a0their request for cooperation can become a\u00a0serious competitive advantage for Russia in\u00a0the current geopolitical conditions. By Elena Kharitonova<\/p>