What is Russia-Africa Summit 2023?
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The Second Russia-Africa Summit is due to be held in St. Petersburg on July 27–28. What issues will be in the spotlight and what message does the event send to the Global South?
The Russia-Africa Summit is intended as a continuation of a similar event in 2019 aimed at developing a global dialogue between the countries of the continent and Moscow.
How Was Russia-Africa Format Established?
The idea of creating a platform for Russo-African cooperation was first announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin in July 2018 in Johannesburg during a meeting of the leaders of BRICS, an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
On October 24, 2019, a joint declaration by Russia and African states established the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum with a view to coordinating the development of Russian-African relations. It particularly designated the Russia–Africa Summit as its supreme body to be convened once every three years. The sides also agreed to hold annual political consultations between ministers of foreign affairs in the period between summits.
The sides agreed to develop political, economic, scientific, legal, climate and security cooperation, and reaffirmed their commitment to contribute to the creation of an equitable multipolar order. Forty-three African heads of state attended the 2019 Russia-Africa Summit.
How Many African States are Due to Participate?
Forty-nine delegations from African states and regional and sub-regional integration associations, such as the African Union, have so far confirmed their participation in the Russia-Africa Summit.
What's the Agenda of the 2023 Russia Africa Forum?
The Second Russia-Africa Summit will be held under the motto "For peace, security and development." Taking into account the widest range of areas that cover Russian-African cooperation, it was decided to supplement the forum with a significant humanitarian component in 2023.
It is expected that the participants of the forum will focus on:
· Russia-Africa partnership to help the continent achieve "food sovereignty," alternatives to the grain deal, and new logistics corridors for Russian food and fertilizers;
· Enhancement of trade, economic, cultural, educational, scientific, and security cooperation between Russia and African states;
· Africa potentially joining the International North–South Transport Corridor;
· Russia's participation in African infrastructure projects;
· Approval of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan to 2026.
What is the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan to 2026?
The Russia-Africa Summit is expected to adopt an action plan on priority areas of cooperation until 2026.
"Following the results of the St. Petersburg meeting [Russia-Africa Summit - Sputnik], it is planned to adopt a declaration-plan of action for the period 2023-2026 in priority areas of cooperation (...) This document is intended to give the Russia-Africa partnership a long-term nature based on the principles of ensuring sustainable development and promoting integration processes on the continent," Oleg Ozerov, ambassador-at-large of the Russian Foreign Ministry and head of the secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, stated on July 19 in the Federation Council.
What Other Documents Will be Adopted at the Summit?
In total, five documents are planned for signing at the summit, according to Oleg Ozerov. In addition to the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan to 2026, the participants will adopt a General Political Declaration and three documents that relate to the fight against terrorism, non-deployment of weapons in outer space, and international information security.
"We hope that these documents will become a serious platform for our joint actions to create a new configuration of international relations based on equal cooperation, the idea of a multipolar world, and not the dictates of one side," Ozerov told Sputnik on July 25.
He added that dozens of bilateral documents are also expected to be inked on the sidelines of the summit: "We expect that there will be a very solid package of agreements," Ozerov emphasized.
What Issues Were Highlighted by President Putin Prior to the Summit?
Ahead of the Russia-Africa Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin released an article titled "Russia and Africa: Joining Efforts for Peace, Progress and a Successful Future" on July 24.
"The partnership relations between our country and Africa have strong, deep roots and have always been distinguished by stability, trust and goodwill," the Russian president wrote, referring to Moscow's longstanding cooperation with the continent and large-scale assistance to African countries during the Soviet era.
"By the mid-1980s, with the participation of our specialists, over 330 large infrastructure and industrial facilities had been built in Africa (…) Tens of thousands of African doctors, technical specialists, engineers, officers and teachers have received education in Russia," Putin pointed out.
As per the Russian president, currently, "the constructive, trustful, forward-looking partnership between Russia and Africa is especially significant and important" as new centers of economic and political power and influence emerge in the world. Putin also pointed out that the situation in the world is far from stable, given that longstanding conflicts exist in nearly every region and are deepening, while new threats and challenges are also emerging.
He particularly referred to the Black Sea Grain Deal, whose initial purpose was to ensure global food security for the vulnerable countries of the Global South. Putin emphasized that the main objective of the deal wasn't met, with 70% of Ukrainian grain ending up in high- and upper-middle-income countries, including the EU, while poor countries received less than 3% of the food supplies.
The Russian president gave assurances to African states that Russia is capable of replacing Ukrainian grain both on a commercial and free-of-charge basis. He vowed to provide supplies of grain, food products, fertilizers, and other goods to the continent.
Putin also emphasized the enhancement of Russia's economic ties with the continent, including within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
He outlined the necessity for further development of educational, cultural, humanitarian, sports, and mass media cooperation between African states and Russia.
Why Are African States Turning Their Back on the West?
"Let's face it, the plundering of Africa by various imperialist countries and what's now called the collective West, and the fact that they've been pushed around at the UN and just about everywhere else and not given the respect that any sovereign country deserves," Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, told Sputnik's Critical Hour podcast. "And what Putin is saying is 'Look, the Chinese, we as the Chinese do, but we plan for the longer term (…) And by the way, the UN Security Council, we think there should be African representation on that.' Wow. So think about that. Thinking about an upsurge in the General Assembly, for example, or some kind of representation on the UN Security Council – I mean, like on the Big Five – that's what he's talking about when Russia and China say 'Yeah, let's have an African permanent member here with the same veto power.'"
Per the CIA veteran, the countries of the Global South, including African states, has long been underrepresented in various international platforms. Unlike the West, Russia is ready to lend its sympathetic ear to their needs, according to McGovern.
"So this is both rhetoric, but it's also a basic meaningful comparison that the whole African experience over centuries up against what they've suffered from the West, and to the degree that the Russians play this card adroitly and so far over the last two years, they have shown the ability to do that. They're going to win this one. And Africa is no small prize," the CIA veteran said.
The collective West is concerned by the Russo-African rapprochement. According to Ozerov, the US and its allies have been exerting considerable pressure on African states through Western diplomatic channels: on a daily basis, Western states are trying to dissuade African leaders from traveling to Russia, demanding that African countries choose a side. In addition to political and diplomatic pressure, there is also financial and economic pressure, according to Ozerov.
However, in the eyes of African states, the West is no longer a unique technological, political, and military powerhouse: other centers of influence and cooperation have emerged, including Russia, China, India – the BRICS countries in general, which many states, including African ones, are striving to join, Ozerov concluded.
