Russia — a major defense partner and arms supplier to African countries — has recently stepped up a drive to gain more influence in and restore its Soviet-era ties with the resource-rich continent.
Last week, President Vladimir Putin hosted dozens of African leaders in the first-ever African summit in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Some 43 head of states or governments and dozens of business and community leaders were warmly welcomed at the two-day summit, which, Putin said, “opened up a new page in the history of Russia’s relations with African countries.”
Addressing the summit on Thursday, Putin said Russia had “supported the struggle of the peoples of Africa against colonialism, racism and apartheid.”
He told the attendees that his government “has signed military-technical cooperation agreements with more than 30 countries, where we supply a large array of weaponry and hardware.”
“Part of these supplies are done on a free-of-charge basis,” he added.
Moscow agreed to sell the African states military helicopters, fighter jets and armored vehicles as well.
The country will supply $4 billion worth of weaponry by the end of this year alone, and $14 billion more in the coming years, the authorities announced on Wednesday.
They also unveiled plans to double trade with the continent to $40 billion.
In a symbolic move, Russia also landed two nuclear capable bombers in South Africa on a first-ever training mission.
The Tupolev Tu-160s Black Jacks — the world’s biggest military aircraft — landed at the Waterkloof air force base in Tshwane on Wednesday afternoon, just as the summit kicked off in Sochi.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said the mission was designed to nurture military ties with the country.
The South African National Defense Force also reacted to the mission, saying, “The military-to-military relations between the two countries are not solely built on struggle politics but rather on fostering mutually beneficial partnerships based on common interests.”
Moscow has already gained influence in several African nations from Algeria to Uganda by building on longstanding defense ties with them.
This has prompted concerns in the United States, which has pledged to foster more trade ties with its African partners.
Washington formerly described influence by Russia— as well as China — in the continent as a “significant threat” to national security interests.
President Donald Trump’s ex-advisor, John Bolton, once said the US was losing ground to China and Russia, which he said were using their investment and trade to gain leverage on African governments.
Source: PressTv
