The 21st Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club devoted to the topic “Lasting Peace on What Basis?Common Security and Equal Opportunities for Development in the 21st Century” was held on November 4–7 in Sochi.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on various issues at a plenary session, including relations with Africa.
Russia has no contradictions with almost any African country and there has never been a shadow in the history of relations, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club on Thursday.
“I will agree with you that we have no contradictions with almost any African country. And the level of trust, of such mutual sympathy is very high. First of all, because there has never been a shadow in the history of our relations with the African continent. We have never taken part in the exploitation of African peoples, we have never done anything inhuman on the African continent,” Putin said.
Africa asks Russia to help in the security sphere, and Russia is ready to do it within the international legal framework, the Russian president added.
Russia is trying to create conditions for the work of domestic companies in Africa, the potential of Russian business for investment in Africa is enormous, Putin said on Thursday.
Russia strives to establish natural, mutually beneficial cooperation with Africans, but cannot do this at the state level, the president added.
“We are trying to create conditions for the work of our leading companies [in Africa], especially since the investment potential of our companies is very high, it is really very high. We are talking about the possibility of investing hundreds of millions of dollars,” the Russian leader said.
Russia is not trying to push European countries out of Africa, they just do not want to be there, the leader explained.
World in Future Must Be Balanced, Must Take Into Account Interests of All Parties, Putin Says
Speaking of shifts in the world order, President Putin noted that the world in the future should be balanced, it should take into account the interests of all participants, and it is necessary to create a mechanism for compromises.
“I would like the world to be balanced, so that the interests of all participants in international communication are taken into account as much as possible in the emerging multipolar system, so that a system is created that takes into account each other’s interests. A mechanism for finding a compromise should be created. I hope that we will be able to create such a system, in any case, we need to strive for this,” Putin said.
More statements of the Russian leader:
Russia is trying to create conditions for the work of domestic companies in Africa, the potential of Russian business for investment in Africa is enormous;
Moscow is ready to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the economies of African countries;
Russia will work with African countries in all areas;
Russia strives to establish natural, mutually beneficial cooperation with Africans, but cannot do this at the state level;
African countries never begged anything from Russia but would like to establish mutually beneficial cooperation;
Africa asks Russia to help in the security sphere, and Russia is ready to do it within the international legal framework;
An investment platform using electronic assets and allowing BRICS to work in emerging markets should be created;
Russia is not trying to push European countries out of Africa, they just do not want to be there.
