https://sputnikglobe.com/20230727/african-leaders-grateful-to-putin-for-support-on-intl-platforms---african-union-1112177398.html
African Union's Head Assoumani: African Leaders Grateful to Putin for Support
African Union's Head Assoumani: African Leaders Grateful to Putin for Support
Sputnik International
Leaders of African nations are grateful to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his support in promoting the continent's interests on international platforms, Chairman of African Union and President of Comoros Azali Assoumani told Sputnik.
2023-07-27T08:38+0000
2023-07-27T08:38+0000
2023-07-27T11:42+0000
world
russia-africa summit 2023
vladimir putin
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/06/12/1111255582_0:61:2925:1706_1920x0_80_0_0_2936ba5db9fa349be2d4e81895746a51.jpg
Leaders of African nations are grateful to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his support in promoting the continent's interests on international platforms, Chairman of African Union and President of Comoros Azali Assoumani told Sputnik."We are grateful to President Putin because he supports us in the G20 and also supports us so that we have a permanent seat at the level of the [United Nations] Security Council," Assoumani said, adding that Africa needs to "have its voice" on international platforms in the multipolar era. On Russia's Resistance to Western Sanctions Russia has managed to effectively resist Western sanctions that were imposed due to Moscow’s special military operation, Assoumani added."Russia and its President [Vladimir] Putin showed us that it was able to resist [sanctions] effectively over time," Assoumani told Sputnik, stressing that it seems that the West does not have resources to impose more sanctions.On African Peace Initiative and Ukrainian StanceThe creators of the African peace initiative on the conflict in Ukraine did not receive any evidence that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is interested in the peace plan, the chairman of the African Union told Sputnik.The president added that the initiators of the African peace plan previously discussed the situation with Zelensky in detail.The creators of the African peace initiative on Ukraine expect to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg and hope to reach concrete results in the discussion on how to solve the Ukraine crisis, the chairman of the African Union added. On Possible Resumption of Grain DealAfrican countries want to raise the issue of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and its possible resumption at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, Assoumani told Sputnik in an interview."Consequences [of the deal's expiration] affect the entire world and especially Africa in social and economic aspects. So yes, we should make resolution to this issue a priority. In reality, everything is priority, there will not be a problem if guns are put down there. Unless this happens, I think the issue of grain and fertilizers affect everyone. We will talk about it in St. Petersburg, we will discuss it [the grain deal] with Putin to see how we could restart this agreement," Assoumani said.The second Russia-Africa Summit is taking place in the Russian city of St. Petersburg from July 27-28. Summit participants are expected to sign a number of international and bilateral documents, the Kremlin said.Azali Assoumani is the President of the Comoros since April 2019. He also holds the post of the Chairperson of the African Union since February 2023. African Union is a regional organization that was created in 2000th in order to enhance cooperation between continental states.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230724/putin-pens-article-on-eve-of-russia-africa-summit-full-text--1112102579.html
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230726/what-is-russia-africa-summit-2023-1112132203.html
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
2023
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
News
en_EN
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
russia-africa summit, vladimir putin, russia, african union
russia-africa summit, vladimir putin, russia, african union
African Union's Head Assoumani: African Leaders Grateful to Putin for Support
08:38 GMT 27.07.2023 (Updated: 11:42 GMT 27.07.2023) Exclusive
ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik) - Sputnik had an exclusive interview with Azali Assoumani, the President of Comoros and the Chairperson of the African Union. In the interview, Assoumani shared his views on key issues of Russo-African cooperation.
Leaders of African nations are grateful to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his support in promoting the continent's interests on international platforms, Chairman of African Union and President of Comoros Azali Assoumani told Sputnik.
"We are grateful to President Putin because he supports us in the G20 and also supports us so that we have a permanent seat at the level of the [United Nations] Security Council," Assoumani said, adding that Africa needs to "have its voice" on international platforms in the multipolar era.
On Russia's Resistance to Western Sanctions
Russia has managed to effectively resist Western sanctions that were imposed due to Moscow’s special military operation, Assoumani added.
"Russia and its President [Vladimir] Putin showed us that it was able to resist [sanctions] effectively over time," Assoumani told Sputnik, stressing that it seems that the West does not have resources to impose more sanctions.
On African Peace Initiative and Ukrainian Stance
The creators of the African peace initiative on the conflict in Ukraine did not receive any evidence that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is interested in the peace plan, the chairman of the African Union told Sputnik.
"This position, that he [Zelensky] demands to meet certain conditions before starting negotiations, seems to be well know all over the world. But we still have not received any compelling evidence that he is interested [in the peace plan]," Assoumani said.
The president added that the initiators of the African peace plan previously discussed the situation with Zelensky in detail.
"We recommended that he sits down [at the negotiating table] and talks, while he wants to set his conditions before starting any discussion. This is understandable, but maybe not justified, because we are initiating a discussion to find a solution. But if we have solutions before negotiations, what is the point of discussing at all? Well, nevertheless, we saw that he still took note very sincerely. He took note that it is impossible to achieve results with weapons. This remains to be discussed," Assoumani stressed.
The creators of the African peace initiative on Ukraine expect to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg and hope to reach concrete results in the discussion on how to solve the Ukraine crisis, the chairman of the African Union added.
"From what we have seen in the past couple of days is that the situation is getting worse. However, we are not going to give up. We have an opportunity to meet with president Putin to discuss and see how how we can find a way of getting concrete results," Assoumani concluded.
On Possible Resumption of Grain Deal
African countries want to raise the issue of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and its possible resumption at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, Assoumani told Sputnik in an interview.
"Consequences [of the deal's expiration] affect the entire world and especially Africa in social and economic aspects. So yes, we should make resolution to this issue a priority. In reality, everything is priority, there will not be a problem if guns are put down there. Unless this happens, I think the issue of grain and fertilizers affect everyone. We will talk about it in St. Petersburg, we will discuss it [the grain deal] with Putin to see how we could restart this agreement," Assoumani said.
The second Russia-Africa Summit is taking place in the Russian city of St. Petersburg from July 27-28. Summit participants are expected to sign a number of international and bilateral documents, the Kremlin said.
Azali Assoumani is the President of the Comoros since April 2019. He also holds the post of the Chairperson of the African Union since February 2023.
African Union is a regional organization that was created in 2000th in order to enhance cooperation between continental states.
