On November 18, the Valdai Club hosted a presentation of an analytical Paper titled “Russia – Africa: Overcoming Difficulties”. Oleg Barabanov, the moderator of the discussion, noted that relations between Russia and Africa are currently on the rise. Russia works with African countries in many areas, including political dialogue, economic cooperation, and cultural and humanitarian ties. However, the process of strengthening relations has not always proceeded smoothly. It is often associated with problems, challenges, and difficulties, and the Paper is devoted to how to overcome them.
The author, Vladimir Shubin, chief researcher at the Institute of African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and honorary doctor of the University of the Western Cape (South Africa), lauded the Russia – Africa summit and conference of foreign ministers which was held in Sochi this month, saying “things are not just announced, but also done.”
Speaking about the history of Russian-African relations, he pointed out that Russia never really left Africa, but in the 1990s, economic and cultural cooperation suffered greatly. In particular, more than half of the Russian cultural centres on the continent were closed and everything related to “soft power” was virtually eliminated.
In Soviet times, economic cooperation with Africa played an important role, although its positive significance is still often underestimated. The educational aspect of cooperation was especially significant. In the 1980s, many Soviet universities welcomed African students.
Today, Shubin emphasised, it is not only a matter of memory, but also of serious economic opportunities and similar positions on international issues. Our ties persist despite considerable pressure.
Sanusha Naidu, Senior Research Fellow at the South African Institute for Global Dialogue, briefly outlined some of the problems in relations between Russia and South Africa. She acknowledged that in the historical context, little is said in South Africa about the role of the Soviet Union in its liberation from apartheid. In the current context, there are different views on relations with Russia, as well as with regards to other major actors. On foreign policy issues, the society appears divided. It should be noted that relations with the West are still important for South Africa, and this affects the way political science and history are taught there. Western narratives also often dominate its media space, and access to information in Russian is blocked. Despite this, according to Naidu, there is an interesting dynamic in relations with Russia. “We have common goals,” she is convinced.
Aliou Tounkara, President of the Russian House in Mali, pointed out that Russia is a strategic partner for his country, relations with which will definitely continue to develop. The Soviet Union once played a key role in helping Mali gain independence, and the republic has a strong memory of cooperation with it. Without Soviet assistance, it might not have emerged as an independent state. In the post-Soviet era, it was largely thanks to Russian cooperation in the security sphere that Mali was able to maintain its territorial integrity. We should not forget about humanitarian aid from the Russian Federation, as well as educational and cultural cooperation, which remain highly significant.
Dareskedar Taye, Leading Researcher at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, noted that Russian-African relations are determined primarily by the dynamics emanating from Russia. During the Cold War, ties between Russia and Africa were close, but after that, there was a certain decline in relations due to political changes. Now Russia is reconsidering its role on the global stage, and against this background interaction is intensifying again. African countries have supported the Russian Federation both within the UN and at the summit in Switzerland. The researcher added that the potential of relations has not yet been fully realized and work on them must continue.
Alexander Balezin, Chief Researcher at the Central Asia Institute, at the World History Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, believes that we are currently experiencing a third African boom. At the same time, Russian society has relatively poor knowledge of the African continent. This applies even to organisations that want to cooperate with Africa and entrepreneurs who want to do business there. “We need to spread information about Africa more widely,” the expert said.
The Valdai Discussion Club was established in 2004. It is named after Lake Valdai, which is located close to Veliky Novgorod, where the Club’s first meeting took place.
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