‘Put-in’ Africa on the map.

What’s the chop?
Sometime last year, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, was allegedly heard saying: Africa is a cemetery — with little to no chance of getting developed. Now, the Russian government is getting cosy with African leaders.
What happened?
From October 23rd to 24th, representatives from the 54 African countries flocked to Sochi in Russia for the first ever Russia-Africa Summit. The conference was organised by the Russian government, and the idea behind it — according to their official declaration — was to form partnerships (think: investments and trade deals) with African countries.
So, they had a conference. Big deal.
Actually it is. But not for the conference so much as what it means.
Think of it like this: a guy or girl you’ve barely spoken to (but certainly noticed) suddenly walks up to you and asks you to be in a relationship. You’re bound to wonder why.
It’s not that different here: The Russia-Africa relationship hasn’t been that strong. Decades ago, Russia tried to gain influence by spreading its political ideologies to Africa, but that didn’t stick. Since then, their influence and their alliances with African countries have been weak, and mostly trade-based. Now, with this conference, Russia is publicly declaring its commitment to Africa.
Why now?
Apparently, Russia has been planning this partnership for a while. Earlier in the year, a document was leaked by an investigative unit in London; it showed Russia’s plans to establish its presence and influence in at least 13 African countries. In terms of the ‘why’ of it all, there are a couple of potential reasons:
- Resources: Africa’s treasure chest of mineral resources has made it one of the richest kids on the block, and Russia wants in.
- Freedom: When Russia was being super troublesome a couple years back, global superpowers like the US, the EU and NATO countries imposed sanctions on them (stopping countries and companies from trading with Russia, and uninviting Russia from various official events). Africa presents a new opportunity for Russia to tap into a new market.
- Power: A big part of Russia’s plan for African influence involves cutting off the relationship that countries like the US, UK and France already have with Africa. Russia is also looking to fill their “Running the World” arsenal with nuclear weapons, and Africa is a huge source of manpower and oil resources.
- Goodwill: Having 54 Heads of Government on your side certainly doesn’t hurt when you need votes to push an agenda through at UN General Assembly meetings.
So, is Russia getting what it wants?
For the most part, it looks like it. Rwanda signed an agreement to develop nuclear energy resources in return for Russian defence systems. The Central African Republic is considering hosting a Russian military base in its country. Russia is also working on uranium trade agreements with Namibia and on developing space technology with Uganda.
The next Russia-Africa summit is in 2022, and in-between now and then, the Russian government plans to invest heavily in Africa’s energy, technology, mining and defense industries. So, it’s only a matter of time before we see more dotted-line agreements.
Your takeaway
With partnerships, there’s always the question of who’s getting more out of it, and what that means for the weaker party. Africa is in need, and Russia is saying all the right things. The long-term repercussions — if any — of taking Russia’s support remains yet to be seen. Russia’s existing rivalries could get in the way and mess with Africa’s other partnerships, or they could encourage more commitment, more promises — and perhaps a bit more PDA (visa-free entry, anyone?)
One thing is clear though: Africa is starting to have one too many bedfellows, so it’s probably a good time to consider how these courtships benefit the continent in the long-run, and to know when to say: “catch ya, see ya, later”.
