Vladimir Putin gave
an interview to TASS Russian State News Agency on Russia –
Africa Summit in Sochi.
October 21, 2019
00:15
Question: The Sochi
Summit is meant to open a new chapter in the relations
between the Russian Federation and African countries. Its
participants will bring to Sochi their ideas about ways to develop
cooperation. What does Russia, in its turn, have to offer
to the states of the African continent? What is Russia's
biggest competitive advantage that you will present to the heads
of delegations at the Summit? What volume of Russian
investment in African economies do you expect to achieve, say,
in the next five years?
President of Russia
Vladimir Putin: Russia and African states have traditionally enjoyed
friendly, time-tested relations. Our country has played a significant role
in the liberation of the continent, supporting
the struggle of its peoples against colonialism, racism
and apartheid.
Later on, we helped
the Africans to protect their independence and sovereignty, gain
statehood, form the basis for national economies, and create
capable armed forces. Important infrastructure facilities, hydroelectric power
plants, roads, and industrial plants were built by Soviet –
and subsequently Russian – specialists. Thousands of Africans
received quality professional education at our universities. This is well
remembered by many current African leaders, who value our support. We too
keep the memory of those pages of history.
Today, the development
and strengthening of mutually beneficial ties with African countries
and their integration associations is one of Russia's foreign policy
priorities. We will shortly be witnessing an unprecedented, benchmark
event: on October 24, Sochi will host the Russia-Africa Summit.
This will be the first full-scale top-level meeting, to which we have
invited leaders of African states and heads of Africa's major
regional associations. The idea to organise such an event
emerged quite a long time ago; however, it has taken some time
and considerable preparatory work to make this Summit a starting
point for building fair partnership relations based on equality and mutual
practical interest.
We expect that our African
colleagues, representatives of the business community will come
to Sochi with a solid package of proposals aimed
at enhancing bilateral relations, while heads of Africa's regional
organisations will share their ideas as to how we could jointly
develop our multilateral cooperation. We will consider these initiatives with
great interest and decide what could be launched right away and what
will require further elaboration.
Russia also has its vision
of how to ensure further development of its ties with
the African continent. We intend to discuss relevant ideas with our
partners, systematise and reflect them as concretely as possible
in the final declaration. Besides, it is important to identify
mechanisms for implementing agreements that would be reached
at the top-level meeting in Sochi.
I am sure that
the Summit will be a success since all the necessary
prerequisites are there. Today, the Russian-African relations are
on the rise. We maintain a close political dialogue, including
on the issues of global and regional security.
The ties between our parliaments are expanding. Our mutual trade is
steadily growing and diversifying.
Russia, together with
the international community, renders comprehensive assistance
to Africa, inter alia, by way of reducing the debt burden
of its states. With a number of countries we are carrying out
debt-for-development swap programmes. Russia supports efforts aimed
at controlling the spread of infectious diseases (including
Ebola haemorrhagic fever), natural disaster relief, settlement of existing
conflicts and prevention of new crises. Russian universities provide
professional training for national specialists from African countries both
free of charge and on a commercial basis. Our defence
and law enforcement agencies are stepping up their cooperation
as well.
However, these are
by no means all the items on our cooperation agenda. Our African
partners see and appreciate the fact that Russia's foreign policy,
including in relation to their continent, is of constructive
nature; that Russia, as one of the UN Security Council permanent
members, advocates democratisation of international affairs, supports
the legitimate aspiration of African states to pursue their own
independent policy, to decide on their own future without imposed
'assistance' by third parties. When doing so, we do not make our support
and joint development projects which we offer contingent upon
the fulfilment of political or any other preconditions
or so-called 'exclusive', but in fact enslaving trade and economic
preferences; we do not impose our views, respecting the principle
of ”African solutions to African problems“ proposed
by the Africans themselves.
As for the potential
level of investment in Africa in the next five years,
the figure is expected to be quite high, with a number
of billion-dollar investment projects with Russia's participation
currently in the pipeline. Both Russia and Russian companies
have substantial resources. We hope that our partners, in turn, will
create the necessary stable and predictable business environment
and investment protection mechanisms and ensure favourable investment
climate.
Question: Competition
in today's world is extremely high. Is Russia ready for tough rivalry
in Africa, say, with China or the US? Do you think there are
risks of using protectionist policies, trade wars or unfair
competition against Russia? What methods do you intend to apply
to address them? Won't this rivalry adversely affect the African
partners?
Vladimir Putin: Indeed,
interest in developing the relations with African countries is
currently visible not only on the part of Western Europe,
the US and the PRC, but also on the part
of India, Turkey, the Gulf states, Japan, the Republic
of Korea, Israel, and Brazil. This is not accidental, as Africa
increasingly becomes a continent of opportunities. It possesses vast
resources and potential economic attractiveness. Africa's infrastructure
needs are increasing, and African population is rapidly growing,
as are its demands. All of this, in turn, calls
for an expanded domestic market and greater consumption.
Of course, where there are promising prospects for investment
and profit, there is always competition, which, unfortunately,
at times goes beyond the bounds of decency.
We see a number
of western states resorting to pressure, intimidation
and blackmail against governments of sovereign African countries.
They hope it will help them win back their lost influence and dominant
positions in former colonies and seek – this time
in a ”new wrapper“ – to reap excess profits
and exploit the continent's resources without any regard for its
population, environmental or other risks. They are also hampering
the establishment of closer relations between Russia and Africa –
apparently, so that nobody would interfere with their plans.
We certainly take note
of these factors and draw conclusions. We are not going
to participate in a new ”repartition“
of the continent's wealth; rather, we are ready to engage
in competition for cooperation with Africa, provided that this
competition is civilised and develops in compliance with
the law. We have a lot to offer to our African friends.
This will be discussed, among other things, at the forthcoming
Summit.
And, most certainly, we,
together with our African partners, are committed to protecting our common
economic interests and defending them against unilateral sanctions,
including by reducing our dollar dependency and switching
to other currencies in mutual settlements.
I am confident that
the Africans are by no means interested in the escalation
of confrontation between the major powers in the continent.
On the contrary, they would like the rivalry to give way
to cooperation in addressing urgent challenges for Africa, such
as terrorism, crime, drug trafficking, uncontrolled migration, poverty,
highly infectious diseases. I would like to reiterate that this is
the kind of work Russia is willing to participate in.
Our African agenda is
positive and future-oriented. We do not ally with someone against someone
else; and we strongly oppose any geopolitical ”games“ involving Africa.
Question: The Soviet
model of cooperation with African countries often involved
the lending mechanism. Did this policy prove effective? Does Russia plan
to resume the practice of providing loans to African
countries? What other mechanisms for offering support to African
countries are you prepared to discuss?
Vladimir Putin: Indeed,
the Soviet-era model – with its pros and cons – proved
quite effective at the stage of the development
of statehood in African countries. We still continue rendering
financial assistance to African states. While in the past, these
decisions were primarily politically motivated, now they are part
of the humanitarian assistance.
As far as granting
loans is concerned, today these loans are market-oriented. For example,
a decision was made to grant a loan to Egypt
in the amount of $25 billion for the construction
of four power units for El Dabaa NPP. This is specifically market-oriented
lending.
Let me point put that
in the post-Soviet period, at the end of the 20th century,
Russia cancelled $20 billion of African countries' debts
to the Soviet Union. This was both an act of generosity
and a pragmatic step, because many of the African states
were unable to service those debts. We therefore decided that it would be
best for everyone just to start our cooperation from scratch.
There are other schemes that
are currently applied to some of the remaining debts.
For instance, intergovernmental agreements with Madagascar, Mozambique
and Tanzania are being implemented in the framework of the debt-for-development
swap programme. We expect that Ethiopia's remaining debt to Russia
($163.6 million) will be settled under similar conditions.
The relevant draft agreement is currently being elaborated.
Let me also remind you that
Russia makes contributions to international programmes of assistance
to Africa in the framework of the UN Development
Programme, the World Food Programme (WFP), and the International
Civil Defence Organisation. Sometimes in-kind support is provided. Since 2011,
WFP offices in Africa have received 258 KAMAZ trucks. Another batch
of 75 trucks has been shipped most recently.
At the same time,
the use of new financial mechanisms does not rule out
the practice of granting loans, but rather provides
for a wider and more diversified toolkit in support
of development. It contributes to establishing mutually beneficial
cooperation between Russia and African countries.
All these issues will be
examined at the Economic Forum on October 23‑24. We are
ready to hear proposals from our African partners and share our
considerations.
Question: Earlier,
military technical cooperation was among the areas of interaction
between Moscow and African countries. Are there any plans to enhance
it? Are you going to discuss any specific projects or contracts with
the Summit participants?
Vladimir Putin: Indeed,
the traditions of our military technical cooperation are deeply
rooted. It was developed back at a nascent stage
of establishment of African states and played its role
in the fight of peoples of the continent
for their independence. And our African partners highly appreciate
it.
Today, we have agreements
on military technical cooperation with more than thirty African countries
which we supply with a wide range of military equipment.
Of course, part of it is being transferred at no charge. But this
is common practice followed by all leading world countries.
It is encouraging that
military technical partnership continues to evolve vigorously. What’s
more, African countries often initiate such cooperation themselves, because
they understand that one should be able to protect its independence
and sovereignty, including from extremist and terrorist groups. It is
yet another incentive to cooperate with Russia, which has abundant
experience in fighting terrorism, including in Syria.
Our African partners
actively participate in military-technical fora and military
exercises organised by Russia, in the framework of which
they get acquainted with Russian advanced weapons, military hardware
and experience of its use. For our part, we will further
contribute to training military personnel of African states
and take part in training African peacekeepers.
Question: Social
and humanitarian cooperation is declared as a theme
of the Summit. Why does Russia help Africa if far from all its own
social problems are resolved?
Vladimir Putin: Humanitarian
assistance is being provided to Africa by many world countries, yet
none of them – be it the US, France, China or any other
country – has fully resolved all of its social problems, including in healthcare,
education and culture.
Russia too provides
humanitarian assistance to African states, but not by reducing
the amount of funding for its own programmes. After all, good
traditions of charity and support in times of need are
a hallmark of our people.
I will give
a recent example. Russia, as many other states, provided aid
to the African countries affected by tropical cyclone Idai
in April 2019. Russia sent humanitarian supplies to Zimbabwe,
Malawi and Mozambique, i.e. large tents, blankets and food products
weighing about 30 tonnes for each country.
We continue to take
an active part in efforts to provide comprehensive assistance
to Africa. Russia is involved in the UN World Food Programme’s
school meals project valued at $40 million, which has been implemented
in Mozambique since October 2017, and in the project
to introduce modern technology and equipment for disinfection
worth up to $15 million in Madagascar.
We also provide assistance
to our African friends in healthcare development, as dangerous
communicable diseases respect no borders. Russia was among the first
to react to Ebola haemorrhagic fever outbreak, having allocated
$60 million to combat it. There is now a microbiology
and epidemiology research centre in Guinea. Russia contributed
$20 million to the World Bank programme to implement
the global malaria control initiative.
And such examples are
plenty. I would like to emphasise that Russia's participation
in fighting poverty, dangerous illnesses and other global threats,
as well as reduction of potential risks ”at distant
approaches“ are fully in line with our national interests.
Question: Security
issues are particularly acute in some African countries. This affects
the operation of Russian companies there. Are you going to raise
issues of security at the Summit and propose measures
to strengthen it? What help is Russia ready to provide to settle
conflicts across the continent?
Vladimir Putin:An important
element of Russia's interaction with African countries is regional
security cooperation. Our Summit's slogan – For Peace, Security
and Development – is not accidental. Steady progress is not possible
without resolving these problems.
The situation
in many parts of Africa is unstable: inter-ethnic conflicts
and acute political and socioeconomic crises remain unsettled.
Numerous terrorist organisations, such as ISIL, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram
and Al-Shabaab, are highly active in North Africa,
the Sahara-Sahel region, Lake Chad area and the Horn
of Africa. Armed forces and law enforcement bodies of African
countries cannot oppose militants alone and need significant aid.
We will further increase
contacts between special services and law enforcement agencies
of Russia and African countries in the field
of countering terrorism, organised crime, drug trafficking, money-laundering,
illegal migration and piracy.
In demand is
the practice of training military and law enforcement personnel
of African countries, including at a reduced cost and free
of charge. For example in the past five years alone, more than
2,500 service personnel from African countries completed studied
at the military educational institutions of the Russian
Defence Ministry.
Our African partners take
an active part in Russia-organised events, such
as the International Military-Technical Forum and meetings
of high representatives for security issues. Eleven African countries
participated in the 2019 International Army Games.
And the number of those willing to join them is growing.
Ultimately, all those
programmes have the same goal – to help Africans solve existing
security issues themselves, as it will strengthen African states, their
sovereignty and independence. And hence, the world will be more
stable and more predictable.
