The African continent will become a powerful pole of power in the geopolitical arena in the foreseeable future. Russia is ready to assist this process and contribute to strengthening the security and sovereignty of African countries. This was stated by Oleg Ozerov, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“Africa is getting ready for a completely new stage in its development, where two processes will be combined,” he said at a round table at the second Russia-Africa international parliamentary conference. Ozerov explained that, first of all, it is about strengthening national sovereignty. And in this matter, “Russia is completely on the side of African friends,” the ambassador noted. His words on Sunday, March 19, quotes TASS.
“We are interested in each country having an independent voice, not submitting to outside dictates and independently working out its own line in the international arena,” he explained. As for the second component of the new stage of development, we are talking about strengthening the integration processes on the African continent, the ambassador said.
He recalled that in 2022, the African continental free trade area began work. “We are certainly interested in, firstly, helping to establish this pole of power, and secondly, in gaining a reliable friend in the person of African states,” Ozerov stated.
On March 19, the second international parliamentary conference “Russia-Africa” started in Moscow. It ends on Monday, March 20th.
Chairman of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe previously urged Russia to actively work with African countries to prevent the economic colonization of the continent by Western states. From his point of view, Africa needs to develop the energy industry and agriculture.
