Russia-Africa Summit: Biya spurns neo-colonial lobby!.

The second Russia-Africa Summit, that took place in St. Petersburg, last week, was perceived in diplomatic circles as President Putin's agenda to show he has support in Africa, despite extensive sanctions and isolation by Western Europe and the United States.

"Neo-colonialists" are reported to have lobbied many African Heads of State, including President Paul Biya, to boycott the summit. France and its Western allies were, however, caught on the back foot by their own overweening neo-colonial lobby as the boycott lobby came crashing like a pack of cards.

President Biya was conspicuously present and, in an impressive speech off the cuff said, complained about the marginalisation of the continent at international fora.    “Africa, which has more than one billion inhabitants, is under-represented in international organisations. I will talk in particular about the United Nations Organisation,” he said. He expressed the wish that with partners like Russia, the situation would change.

Biya thanked the president of the Russian Federation, for the constant support provided by his country over the years since 1960, to facilitate the access of African countries to international sovereignty.

That sovereignty requires that African countries should unshackle the strings of former colonies, which were at play to isolate Russia, not in the interest of the continent, but that of Western Europe.

President Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters during the summit that, “this is absolutely blatant and brazen interference by France and other states through their diplomatic missions in African countries and their attempt to put pressure on the leadership of these countries in order to prevent their active participation in the forum”.

He was taking the cue from the Russian leader, who announced a “joint determination to counter neo-colonialism, the practice of applying illegitimate sanctions and attempts to undermine traditional moral values” of African countries by France and its allies.

Putin accused Western countries of "obstructing" the supply of Russian grain and fertilizers, repeating his government's longstanding complaint that the US and its allies weren't keeping up their end of the bargain under the supply of grain to Africa, while "hypocritically accusing us of the current crisis situation in the global food market". 

The Russian president told the delegation of African leaders that the continent will become one of Moscow’s key partners.

“...Russia is still a reliable supplier of food to Africa,” Putin said, adding that “in the coming months, we will be able to deliver 25,000 to 50,000 tons of grain free of charge to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic and Eritrea”.

He said his country and the African leaders who attended the summit in St. Petersburg agreed to promote a multipolar world order and fight “neo-colonialism,” as he offered debt write-offs and grain to woo allies.

Participants signed a joint declaration that called for “the establishment of a more just, balanced and stable multipolar world order, firmly opposing all types of international confrontation on the African continent”.

The summit, described by participants as successful, which indeed it was, had declarations on deepening cooperation on trade, economy, investment, culture, fight against terrorism, health, grain deal, humanitarianism and Ukraine-Russia war. But the Western media and diplomacy tended to portray it as a failure, focusing on attendance by 17 Heads of State.

There is no question some national leaders were present but others like Nigeria, for instance, sent the next in command, making a total participation of 49 African countries that were present at the summit.

Notable absentees were Kenya, whose president refused to attend because he was angered by a Russian action in snubbing an Africa delegation that travelled to Moscow to attempt to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine. Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, SADR, did not participate due to lack of diplomatic relations with Russia.

Within the diplomatic parlance, Russian wanted to use the summit to bolster its support in Africa, which is seen as next destination for global economic opportunities.

The summit also illustrated that Africa is shirking off its fence-setting policy of non-alignment, which should explain why President Biya, in his eloquent speech, asked for more African representation at the United Nation, UN, where the demand has been for the continent to have at least one permanent representative at the Security Council.

That sovereign expression has been exhibited following the war in Ukraine, where many African countries weren't on the same page with the United States and their former colonial masters.

During a vote at the UN last year condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Eritrea was the only African country that openly endorsed the attack, while 17 others on the continent, including South Africa, voted to abstain. Eight other African nations, including Cameroon, did not put in a vote at all. A further 28 African states voted to condemn Russian attack on Ukraine.

The participation of 49 African countries at the Russia-Africa summit, despite the sanctions imposed on Moscow, is indicative of the continent's resolve to exert its sovereignty and cut off any tether of neo-colonialism that still mangles their independence.

At The Guardian Post, we go with the understanding that Africa cannot flourish in that sovereignty when, with all its fertile soil and manpower, it still has to go cap in hand for food and fertiliser from Russia and Ukraine.