Putin tells African leaders Moscow will not pursue ‘neo-colonialism’

Speaking at the third Russia-Africa Summit, Putin frames Russia as an alternative partner to former colonial powers.

President Vladimir Putin has told African leaders visiting Moscow that Russia does not engage in “neo-colonial exploitation” of the continent, unlike former colonial powers.

Speaking at the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow on Wednesday, Putin said the West is still trying ‌to exploit the continent’s resources and uses debt to hold back development.

“Africa is increasingly asserting itself as one of the key players in the global economy and politics. However, the emergence of a multipolar world is, of course, no easy task; it faces resistance from countries that are not prepared to accept this reality,” Putin told the summit.

Russian-backed government forces in a broad swath of North Africa are fighting armed rebellions as many countries in the region emerge from military coups that have shaken regional security.

Putin criticised “active attempts by Western countries” to drive Africans back into debt and to force them to accept much-needed financial resources on predatory terms, which he said slowed their long-term development.

“Our business does not engage in the predatory, neo-colonial exploitation of natural and human resources, but rather expands the processing of raw materials locally, thereby creating new jobs and generating tax revenue,” said Putin.

Disruptions to agriculture

Putin told delegations from 48 African countries, including 22 represented by their heads of state, that Russia was prepared to expand the geographical reach of agricultural product shipments.

Russia had supplied 13 million metric tonnes of agricultural products to Africa in the first nine months of this year alone, he added.

The remarks come as attacks in the Black Sea continue to disrupt exports of grain from both Russia and Ukraine, while the United States-Israel war on Iran has interrupted global fertiliser supplies.

Putin is due to hold one-on-one talks with individual African leaders who are attending on topics ranging from trade to security, grain supplies and arms deals.

The summit is expected to end with a final declaration on deepening cooperation between Russia and African nations.