Russia-Africa Summit: Putin seeks to expand ties with the continent

Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting dozens of African leaders at a summit in Moscow as part of efforts to expand its influence on the continent. He told delegates that Russia was Africa's best partner, calling for an end to Western domination. Putin accused it of still trying to exploit the continent's resources and using debt to hold back development. The era when the destinies of entire continents were determined by a narrow bloc of states is coming to an irreversible end. It's being replaced by a more just world in which the voices of all nations participating in international affairs must be heard. Russia is trying to expand its political, economic and military influence in Africa, whereas Africa's core paramilitary fighters remain active. Putin said the continent is increasingly asserting itself as one of the key players in global economy and politics. Our country consistently advocates for a greater role for Africa in the governance and key decision-making processes of multilateral development institutions, most notably the IMF and the World Bank. Indeed, the time has come to reform these organizations and refocus them on the specific needs and requirements of developing economies. Delegations from 48 countries are attending this third two-day summit, including 22 African leaders who expressed support for stronger ties with Russia and contrasted its approach with that of the West. Africa is seeking partners to strengthen its capacity to generate its own wealth. We don't want to be consigned to exporting our raw materials only to then import the finished products at a high cost. We want to be involved in the entire value chain, from production to marketing, so that the wealth created benefits our populations more effectively. More than 40 sessions are expected to cover trade, investment, technology transfer, food and energy security, healthcare, education and youth exchange.