The recent Russia-Africa Summit held in Saint Petersburg grabbed attention, with representatives from 49 African countries out of 54 taking part. Over half of these countries were represented by top-level officials from their nations.
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The summit saw 17 heads of state, five deputy heads of state, four heads of government, one parliamentary president, and 17 other countries represented by deputy prime ministers and ministers, with most of them being foreign ministers. Additionally, five countries were represented at the embassy level.
No doubt, the second edition of this summit with such extensive African participation holds crucial implications, particularly concerning the waning of European and American influence in Africa in favor of Russian and Chinese influence.
African countries appear keen on breaking away from the West and forging new alliances with Russia and China, their strategic rivals. This Russia-Africa Summit also mirrors how Western pressures have had limited impact, as they have consistently tried to undermine the summit.
The Kremlin managed to overcome Russia's international isolation by pulling off the second Russia-Africa Summit, following the one in Sochi in 2019. During the summit, President Putin made every effort to win over African countries and strengthen relations. He pledged that Russia is ready to step in and replace Ukrainian exports to Africa with its own grain shipments. He stated, "In the coming months, we will be ready to provide Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic, and Eritrea with 25,000-50,000 tonnes of grain free of charge."
President Putin also put forward the offer of forgiving billions of dollars in debt owed to his country by some African nations and suggested providing advanced technology to ensure food security in African countries. These steps highlight Russia's unprecedented strategic approach to forging partnerships with African nations.
One of the battlegrounds of the Russian-Western conflict indirectly centers on global dominance and influence. In this regard, the forums and summits hosted by Russia recently serve as proof of the failure of attempts to internationally isolate Moscow. These events showcase Russia's weightage and status, as well as demonstrate its ability to navigate and rally countries in areas where the West believes it holds significant sway.
Another aspect pertains to the decline of Western impact, even in traditional Western spheres of influence.
In the past, vast regions in Africa and strategic circles were typically tied to the West through historical relationships with European countries and the US. However, recent years have seen big shifts in alliances and ties between many African capitals and major international powers, with both Russian and Chinese influences now strongly at play in Africa.
Despite all obstacles, the extensive African participation in the Saint Petersburg summit stirs deep anger in the West and puts them in an uncomfortable position. This comes as the Russian foothold expands precisely when the West has been striving to isolate Moscow and impose Western sanctions that haven't yielded their intended results so far.
In contrast to the past, some argue that only 17 African leaders attended the Saint Petersburg summit, whereas 43 leaders participated in the first summit held in 2019.
However, this viewpoint is countered by the fact that the first summit took place before the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, and most African countries had already taken part in it. The current events, as known to all, present the participation of nearly the same countries with representatives at different protocol levels as a positive signal for Moscow. It enabled Russia to sidestep the trap of boycott and isolation that the West had set for it.
Moscow ensured the presence of 17 African heads of state and high-level representatives from the second and third tiers of other participating countries. Meanwhile, the African countries involved wanted to avoid upsetting the West while also sending a positive signal to Russia. This reflects a clear division and sharp polarization in African and international stances toward the conflict between Russia and the West.
Africa certainly does not want to be a pawn in the struggle for global influence. The countries of the continent are well aware that they have drawn the attention of all international powers.
As a result, they do not want to send a negative message to anyone and aim to remain neutral in crises. Their main priority is their strategic interests and, consequently, to capitalize on the growing international attention towards the continent.
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