What is the reason for Russia's success in Africa?
Russia is actively strengthening its position in Africa, its success is a consequence of the mistakes of Western countries, the Swiss television channel SRF reports.
 Ukraine |
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Central African Republic President Faustin Archange Touadera shake hands as they pose for a group photo before their meeting at the 2019 Russia-Africa Summit and Economic Forum in Sochi, Russia. Sputnik file photo. |
Specifically, the United States has long treated the continent like a “stepmother and stepchild.” Former President Donald Trump’s attitude toward Africa was nothing short of contemptuous. For his successor, Joe Biden, the region is also not among his policy priorities.
The West, according to SRF TV channel, expects African countries to develop democracy, good governance and fight corruption. For their part, African leaders see this as an infringement on their national sovereignty.
Besides,Africans remain grateful to the former Soviet Unionprovided financial and military support in their liberation struggle, the channel concluded.
Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported earlier that while Europe and the United States blame Russia for the food crisis, many African countries blame what is happening on Western sanctions. Several African, Latin American and Asian countries at the UN General Assembly previously refused to condemn Russia's special operations in Ukraine.
Ahead of his visit to African countries, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that Russia and Africa have had good and long-standing relations since the Soviet era, and that in recent years Moscow has been actively restoring its position on the continent, which has been welcomed by Africans. The head of the Foreign Ministry also stressed that Russia highly values the fair stance of Africans on what is happening in Ukraine and around it.
