Russia cultivating allies in Africa
Putin talks to leaders about growth potential
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin courted dozens of leaders of African nations Wednesday at the first-ever Russia-africa summit while a pair of nuclear-capable bombers made an unprecedented visit to the continent.
Speaking at the two-day summit attended by leaders of 43 of Africa’s 54 countries, Putin hailed the continent’s “enormous potential for growth” and negotiated deals to tap its riches, including diamonds, uranium and oil.
Putin said Russia’s annual trade with African nations doubled in the last five years to exceed $20 billion, and he expressed confidence that it could double again “as a minimum” in the next four or five years.
Moscow has sought to revive relationships forged during the
Cold War, when it poured funds and weapons into Africa in a rivalry with the U.S., and it has worked to cultivate new ties such as relations with South Africa.
Some analysts have said Russia has been late to engage a continent where China has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure and other projects in recent years. But Moscow portrays itself as free from the past baggage of colonialism and slavery.
“It was long overdue,” Yoweri Museveni, president of Uganda — traditionally a U.S. security ally in Africa — said of Russia hosting such a summit.
Russia already is building on its status as Africa’s largest arms supplier.
It has signed military cooperation agreements with at least 28 countries on the continent, the majority in the past five years.
On Wednesday, two Russian Tu-160 nuclear-capable strategic bombers arrived in South Africa on a visit the Russian Defense Ministry
described as a sign of “strategic partnership.”
Putin noted that Moscow has written off $20 billion in debt — he did not say over what period — and provided aid to African nations. He said Russia is willing to help tap natural resources and offer its technologies to the continent, and he welcomed the recent creation of an African free trade zone.
Russia’s geological survey agency signed agreements with South Sudan, Rwanda and Equatorial Guinea to search for carbon resources on their territories.