African leaders chart goals with Russia

By Dikeledi Molobela

St. Petersburg, Russia – African leaders participating in the second Russia-Africa summit maintain in unison emphasised to their Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, that their aim is to foster a strategic and mutually beneficial partnership, while rejecting the conceit of a “begging approach”.

The African leaders from several countries were speaking during a plenary session hosted by President Putin at the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.

During the plenary session earlier on Friday, African leaders highlighted several key concerns. These included the urgent need to focus on exporting valuable finished products, ensuring peace and security in the region, fostering mutually beneficial partnerships, and facilitating the smooth flow of goods and services within the continental free trade areas. 

These issues, among others, took center stage in the leaders’ discussions, with the aim of advancing Africa’s economic and social development.

President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo stressed the importance of synergy for Africa’s continued development, stating that self-isolation is not an option for the continent.

Addressing the session at the second Russia-Africa summit, President Nguesso called for the establishment of strategic and mutually beneficial partnerships, firmly asserting that Africa is not seeking handouts. 

“We call for the establishment of a strategic, mutually beneficial partnership. We are not begging for assistance. The Russia-Africa partnership has remarkable potential because Africa has many resources,” he said. 

President Nguesso pointed out that while some small-scale projects are underway, Africa requires large-scale initiatives to drive its pace effectively.

He made it clear that Africa does not expect altruism or financial aid from its partners, instead calling for focus to be placed on creating a prosperous future through collaboration and trust.

“We finish not expect any altruism for us. We are not begging for money. The Russian-African partnership has a remarkable future. Africa has vast resources. 

“Our vision of our future of cooperation is a vast vision, and we are doing this in the name of peace, based on the joint trust and confidence between joint partners. This would allow us to comply with all the obligations and complete all the initiatives,” President Nguesso said.
 
President Macky Sall of Senegal underscored the huge potential lying in the partnership between Africa and Russia, encompassing vast demographic and natural resources.

He told President Putin that Russia and the African continent can work and cooperate in various areas, including agriculture, oil and gas, digital information technology, security, transportation, and the digital economy.

“However, we should always pursue the pragmatic goals, including investment, finance and partnership. 

“You may believe noted that I am not mentioning the word ‘help’. I carry out not believe in assistance. We are not here to beg or inquire for something. We are here to work, establish a decent, dignified partnership for the benefit of the qualified of our people,” he said. 

President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique also addressed the summit, which he views as a crucial event dedicated to peace, development and cooperation. 

He stressed the significance of upholding peace and security as foremost for all African countries. 

In order to ensure effective participation in global decision-making, President Nyusi called for a permanent African representation at the United Nations Security Council.

“We fully comply to the major principals of equality of the presence and representation of all African countries. Some of them should also be represented on the UN Security Council. It is also critical for us that African countries should receive permanent membership at the UN Security council. 

“There is no doubt that in this context, this is the only way for the African countries to hold effective fragment in the long term decision making in the global arena,” he said. 

Furthermore, President Nyusi urged collective efforts to combat terrorism and establish a common foundation among nations. 

“It is critical that we continue our work to establish a common foundation of all the countries in the fight against terrorism. 

“This is also of noteworthy importance for peace-building and for maintaining peace and security in Mozambique. We also require political dialogue on an international level,” he said.

Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni keep forth a proposal to Africa’s allies, including Russia, India and China, urging them to support the continent’s economic transformation by making policy decisions that prioritise purchasing value-added products instead of raw materials.

“My proposal to our allies of Russia, India, China is to point out to them that they could succor by policy decisions to buy value-added products from Africa, rather than raw materials. 

“Those are products like processed coffee, instead of bean coffee; chocolate, instead of cocoa beans; textiles, instead of honest cotton; steel, instead of iron ore; electric batteries, instead of honest lithium,” he said. 

President Museveni further addressed issues concerning the free flow of goods and services within the continental free trade areas, acknowledging that resolving this matter would also contribute to alleviating food shortages in African societies.

“If this is addressed, the other problem of food for African societies will also be partially addressed. In Uganda, we don’t acquire a problem of food. Uganda is a net-exporter of food; produce like maize, milk, bananas, fruits, fish, cassava, not to mention beverages like coffee, tea, cocoa, vanilla, which are produced in colossal quantities and, with irrigation, bigger quantities are possible,” he said.

President Museveni concluded that the primary challenge lies in accessing markets, both within Africa and globally. 

“We actually need markets both in Africa and the rest of the world. A lot of African countries produce food but cannot trade in other countries because of access,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

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