The second Russia-Africa Summit held in St. Petersburg on July 27 and 28, 2023, has come with a kind of liberation’ of African countries from Russia. The summit saw almost 49 delegates attend, including 17 heads of state. Interestingly, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the man who attempted a ‘mutiny’ on the Kremlin, attended.

Let us talk about the few things Putin has done and will continue to do for the African continent. The same continent is termed the dark continent by the West. Is this the moment Africans have been waiting for? Is this a liberation after the planned assassination of Muammar Gaddafi? If you can remember these words, of course:

We came, we saw, he died

This is not a surprise given how Africans are thought of by the democratic west. These are some of the things the East has tried to help Africans with. Africa is a continent that hasn't developed much. However, this same content is full of resources that have yet to be tapped. It is rich. In its sense of richness, the West has tried to extract or exploit everything from it. Even after the colonisation of Africa, neo-colonisation is still a problem. The western countries are still making themselves rich at the expense of our sanity.

I will be discussing in depth the many things the East has to offer Africans in restoring this continent from the dark ages. Here are the things Putin and Russia are offering the African countries:

• Debt Write-off
• Grain Supply
• Promotion of a Multipolar World Order and Opposition to Neocolonialism
• Russian Plan for Africa
• African Leaders’ Call for Peace in Ukraine
• Support for African Liberation Struggles
• Cooperation and Aid

Putin Writes off African debt, amounting $23 billion

This is one of the amazing things that has happened to African countries so far. Putin is writing off an African debt that has mounted to 23 billion dollars, and we cannot fail to acknowledge this good deed.

Putin has acknowledged that attention is shifting to the continent. I concur with that because, however sidelined this continent is, it still has eyes from other continents. However, some eyes look at it as benefiting themselves, while others fall into the scope of developing pure diplomatic relations and working closely to enrich us. Luckily, Putin falls for the latter.

The political and economic role of Africa is growing exponentially; the continent is becoming a new centre of power, which everyone will have to take into consideration

I concur. The African continent is the new powerhouse in political, military, and even economic strategies around the world. Its potential can never be underestimated. This region has become a centre of power and influence on the global stage, and this has been evident in the last few years. It has become a region that cannot be ignored by the international community. This is due to the demographic advantage of a young population, an available emerging market, economic growth, regional integration, diplomatic influence, and, of course, natural resources.

The next thing Russia sees as excellent is increasing its relations with African countries in different sectors. Intensifying work with our countries is a game-changing aspect. Putin:

This is a real practical step to significantly intensify work with African countries in the political, business, humanitarian, cultural and tourism spheres

Colonial ‘legacy’ is an obstacle to our growth; the ‘Democratic Capitalism and Neo-colonialism chronicles’

One thing that remains a fact is that Africa is in the shackles of a colonial legacy that cannot be undone. Leaving it would mean a lot of exploitation from the ‘colonial giants’, who still have a great connection to our continent.

According to Putin, the divide and rule policy used in Africa by western countries has rendered this continent unstable in pursuing it’s prosperity. This continent faces exploitation in all possible sectors, especially minerals. The extraction of these rich resources by causing political instabilities in the name of democracy has left many African countries poor. The menace caused in the financial and technological sectors is a pity. The advancements of these African countries in these sectors are near null.

I term this the Democratic Capitalism and Neo-colonialism Chronicles. It is executed according to a carefully laid plan and the cancellation of those who decry it. With the help of a few greedy politicians, it is equally impossible to axe it out due to the nature of our continent, which is poor.

Africa's development is hindered by many things. Such include terrorism, human labour exploitation, resource exploitation, piracy, diplomatic injustices, the spread of extremist ideology, and transnational crime, among others. With this move to cancel this debt in the utmost good faith, I expect that Africa will regain its glory as an independent nation that can nurture its present and coming generations.

The importance of Putin’s relations with Africa

Well, this move comes with a lot of benefits for Africa. The benefits are most important to the countries that have been living in political, economic, and social instability.

Africa is set to increase its geopolitical and diplomatic relations with Russia, leading to a diversification of partnerships. This will ultimately help limit overreliance and counter the influence of Western countries. Interestingly, President Ibrahim Traore said this:

A slave that does not rebel does not deserve pity. The African Union (AU) must stop condemning Africans who decide to fight against their own puppet regimes in the West. Victory to our people! Homeland or death

He finished with the famous Fidel Castro signature quote. This, while wearing a red beret as part of his military uniform. This bears a resemblance to the late Thomas Sankara.

After the military coup in Niger, General Tiani was declared head of state. This led to the suspension of the Niger constitution and a response from France. France stated that it does not recognise General Tiami as the head of state and demands that President Bazum be reinstated. However, we all know why France is making those demands. The reason is that Niger is the leading producer of uranium in France. It produces a third of all the Uranium. There are also some reports that the new leadership of the African country is pro-Russian.

Denis Sassou Nguesso noted that African delegations faced obstacles in reaching St. Petersburg for the summit. He says they had to re-rent a plane in Dubai because flights to Russia were prohibited by Western insurers. He continues:

Other delegations also encountered difficulties, particularly regarding overflight rights over certain countries

All these situations show the importance of shifting African political affiliations to those that align with their best interests. This is my first article covering African regional affairs, and I hope to continue doing so soon. It is also my first part on what Putin is offering African countries.

Thanks for reading.

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