Moscow (BLAZETRENDS).- Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his country will increase its diplomatic presence in Africa by opening the plenary session of the second Russia-Africa summit, which is being held in Saint Petersburg, an act in which he has also reported of the signing of arms contracts with more than 40 countries of the continent.
“In order to strengthen the defensive capacity of the countries of the continent, we are developing cooperation in the military and military-technical fields,” Putin said this Friday before the leaders of countries such as Egypt, Congo, Cameroon or the Central African Republic.
He stressed that part of the arms supplies to these countries are made free of charge, since the final objective is to guarantee their security and sovereignty.
“Russia has signed military-technical cooperation contracts with more than 40 African countries, to which we supply a wide range of weapons and defense equipment,” he said.
More diplomatic missions
Some African countries have renounced cooperation with France, which they accused of interfering in their internal affairs, in favor of Russian weapons. In fact, the Russian military consortium Almaz-Antéi presented its short and medium-range anti-aircraft defense systems of the Tor, Viking and Buk series during the summit.
“Russia’s attention to Africa is constantly increasing and is manifested in our plans to increase diplomatic presence on the continent,” the Kremlin chief said.
He added that Russia is ready “to re-establish and open new diplomatic missions, and increase the staff of a number of existing embassies.”
Moscow sees in Africa “a new center of power”
In particular, Putin stressed that the embassies in Burkina-Faso and Equatorial Guinea will soon resume their activities.
“This is a real practical step towards more active work in African countries,” he stressed.
At the same time, the Russian president offered his help to African countries to open embassies, consulates and other diplomatic representations in Russia.
“We see the African continent become a new center of power. Its political and also economic role increases in geometric progression. And everyone will have to take this objective reality into account, ”he stressed.
Criticism of the old metropolises
In his speech, Putin denounced that the old metropolises maintain colonial practices.
“Unfortunately, some manifestations of colonialism to this day have not been eliminated and as before they are practiced by the old metropolises,” he stressed.
Sovereignty, he said, “is not a state that is achieved once and for all”, since it is necessary to fight permanently for it.
“The era of the hegemony of one or several states is receding,” Putin said, adding that this is happening “not without resistance from those who are used to their own exclusivity and monopoly in world affairs.”