Vladimir Putin's speech at the plenary session of the Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum-new 2
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.
00:09 Chairperson of the African Union, President of the Union of the Comoros, Azali Asoumani.
00:17 President Chairman of the Bank of Directors of African Export-Import Bank, Benedict Oroma.
00:24 President of the New Development Bank, Dilma Rousseff.
00:30 Patriarch, Curial of Moscow and All Russia, Moderator of the Plenary Session, Director
00:38 of Africa Institute of Russian Academy of Science, Irina Obramova.
00:48 Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Colleagues and Friends, We are starting the plenary session
01:06 of the Second Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum.
01:11 The floor is given to the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich
01:18 Putin.
01:19 Vladimir Putin, thank you.
01:30 Dear Mr. Asoumani, dear Heads of State and Government, High Representatives of the countries
01:40 of the African continent, Ladies and Gentlemen, First of all, I would like to cordially welcome
01:48 all of you to Saint Petersburg.
01:51 Thank you for responding to the invitation to come to us.
01:54 In our country, you are among friends and like-minded people.
01:59 The composition of the participants of the plenary session of the Economic and Humanitarian
02:05 Forum is very representative.
02:08 I think it is symbolic that the program of the Russia-Africa Summit begins with this
02:14 important event.
02:16 His motto, "Technology and Security in the Name of Sovereign Development for the Benefit
02:22 of Man" sounds really relevant.
02:27 And, of course, we will discuss the full range of issues on the financial, trade, investment,
02:35 educational and social agenda, in connection with the dynamic changes in the digital and
02:41 information sphere taking place in the world.
02:45 At the same time, the main guideline is to strengthen the welfare of our citizens, improve
02:51 their living conditions, and solve pressing problems.
02:56 I would like to note that many useful and constructive discussions are held within the
03:01 framework of the relevant sessions of the Forum on Energy, Logistics and Transport,
03:08 Agriculture, Finance, Healthcare.
03:12 Promising ideas and proposals for new mutually beneficial joint projects, specific practical
03:19 arrangements, and commercial contracts are being considered.
03:24 The potential of Africa is obvious to everyone.
03:28 Thus, the average annual growth rates of the continent's GDP over the past 20 years, 4
03:36 minus 4.5 percent per year, exceed global ones.
03:41 The population is approaching 1.5 billion people and is growing faster than anywhere
03:47 else in the world.
03:50 It is also characteristic that the growth of the middle class, which forms the main
03:55 demand for modern goods and services, overtakes similar indicators in most regions of the
04:02 world.
04:03 Russia, represented by official circles, business and the public, is sincerely interested in
04:11 further deepening multifaceted trade, investment and humanitarian ties with the continent,
04:18 which meets the needs of all our states, contributes to sustainable growth and prosperity.
04:25 I would like to note that by the end of last year, the Russian-African trade turnover reached
04:32 $18 billion.
04:35 This is one of the obvious results of the Sochi-Russia-Africa summit.
04:40 I am sure that together we can more radically increase trade in the foreseeable future.
04:46 And by the way, in the first half of this year alone, the volume of export-import operations
04:53 with African countries increased by more than a third.
04:58 The structure of trade turnover also looks good.
05:02 Over 50% of Russian supplies to Africa are machinery and equipment, chemical products,
05:09 as well as food.
05:11 We understand the importance of an uninterrupted supply of food to African countries.
05:18 This is important for socio-economic development and for maintaining political stability.
05:25 Therefore, we always pay and will pay special attention to the supply of wheat, barley,
05:32 corn and other grain crops to African friends, including as humanitarian aid through the
05:39 UN food program.
05:41 Dear friends, the figures speak for themselves.
05:45 Last year, trade in agricultural products between Russia and African countries increased
05:51 by 10% and amounted to $6.7 billion, and in January to June of this year it has already
06:00 increased by another record 60%.
06:04 Russia exported 11.5 million tons of grain to Africa in 2022, and almost 10 million tons
06:12 in the first six months of this year alone.
06:16 And this is despite the illegal sanctions imposed on our exports, which seriously complicate
06:23 the supply of Russian food, complicate transportation, logistics, insurance and bank payments.
06:32 A paradoxical picture is emerging.
06:35 On the one hand, Western countries are obstructing the supply of our grain and fertilizers, and
06:43 on the other, I will say it bluntly, hypocritically accuses us of the current crisis situation
06:50 in the world food market.
06:53 This approach was particularly clearly manifested in the implementation of the so-called grain
06:59 deal concluded with the participation of the UN Secretariat and initially aimed at ensuring
07:06 global food security, reducing the threat of hunger and helping the poorest countries,
07:14 including in Africa.
07:15 However, for almost a year, within the framework of this so-called deal, a total of 32.8 million
07:24 tons of cargo were exported from Ukraine, of which more than 70%, dear friends, went
07:32 to countries with high and above average income levels, including and above all, bearing in
07:39 mind the European Union, while the share of such countries like Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia
07:48 and a number of others.
07:51 It was, please note, less than 3% of the total volume, less than 1 million ton.
07:59 Russia agreed to participate in this so-called deal, including taking into account the obligations
08:06 contained in it that illegitimate obstacles to the supply of our grain and fertilizers
08:11 to world markets will be removed.
08:15 And I want to tell you that this, and above all this, is helping the poorest countries.
08:22 In fact, nothing happened from what we discussed and what was promised to us.
08:28 None of the terms of the deal concerning the withdrawal of Russian grain and fertilizer
08:33 exports to world markets from sanctions were fulfilled.
08:38 None of them.
08:40 Deals were also created for the gratuitous transfer of mineral fertilizers by us to the
08:46 poorest countries in need.
08:48 Now only my colleagues and I have met with the leadership of the African Union.
08:55 Out of 262,000 tons of such fertilizers blocked in European ports, only two shipments were
09:04 sent, only 20,000 tons to Malawi and 34,000 tons to Kenya.
09:11 The rest remained in the hands of the Europeans.
09:14 And this is despite the fact that it was a purely humanitarian action, to which no sanctions
09:21 should in principle apply.
09:25 Well, someone does not want Russia, as some say, to enrich itself and to direct the flow
09:33 of money for military purposes.
09:36 But this is a gratuitous transfer.
09:39 No, they don't, despite all the empty talk about the desire to help the poorest countries.
09:47 Taking into account the mentioned facts, we refused to further extend this deal.
09:53 I have already said that our country is able to replace Ukrainian grain both on a commercial
10:00 basis and in the form of gratuitous assistance to the most needy countries in Africa, especially
10:07 since we are again expecting a record harvest this year.
10:12 To be specific, I will add, I will say, we will be ready in the coming months, in the
10:19 next three or four months, to provide Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central
10:27 African Republic, Eritrea with 25-50,000 tons of grain, and we will provide free delivery
10:36 of these products to consumers.
10:40 Probably, a few more figures will be interesting.
10:44 Ukraine produced about 55 million tons of grain over the past agricultural year.
10:51 Exports amounted to 47 million tons a lot, of which 17 million tons of wheat.
10:59 And Russia, dear colleagues, collected 156 million tons of grain last year.
11:07 It exported 60 million tons, of which 48 million tons are wheat.
11:14 Russia's share in the world wheat market is 20%, Ukraine's is less than 5.
11:21 This means that it is Russia that makes a significant contribution to global food security
11:27 and is a solid, responsible, international supplier of agricultural products.
11:34 And those who claim that this is not so, that it is only the provision of this so-called
11:40 grain deal for the export of Ukrainian grain, are simply distorting the facts, telling lies.
11:49 As a matter of fact, this has been the practice of some Western states for decades, if not
11:56 centuries.
11:57 Our country will continue to support states and regions in need, including with its humanitarian
12:04 supplies.
12:05 We strive to actively participate in the formation of a more equitable system of resource allocation,
12:13 and we are making every effort to prevent a global food crisis.
12:18 In principle, we are convinced that with the use of appropriate agricultural technologies
12:24 and proper organization of agricultural production, Africa in the future can not only feed itself,
12:33 independently ensure its food security, but also become an exporter of various types of
12:40 food.
12:41 And from Russia there will be only support, I assure you.
12:45 Yesterday, during our bilateral meetings, my colleagues and I were just talking about
12:52 this, and my African colleagues told me, they said, we have the ability to produce food,
13:00 we need technology, appropriate support.
13:04 For its part, Russia is ready to share its expertise in the field of agricultural production
13:10 with African countries, to assist in the introduction of the most advanced technologies.
13:18 We are also interested in further development of cooperation with African countries in the
13:24 field of energy.
13:26 This cooperation is based on rich experience.
13:30 Over the years, Soviet and Russian specialists have designed and built large energy hubs
13:37 in Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia and other countries of the continent with a combined capacity
13:44 of 4.6 gigawatts, a total of, I want to emphasize this and draw your attention to this, dear
13:53 friends, a quarter of all hydropower capacities in Africa.
13:58 Currently, Russian companies are implementing new mutually beneficial projects aimed at
14:05 meeting the growing needs of African economies in fuel and generating capacity, ensuring
14:11 access of Africans to inexpensive and reliable, sustainable and environmentally friendly energy
14:19 sources.
14:21 More than 30 promising energy projects with Russian participation in 16 African states
14:28 are currently being worked out to varying degrees.
14:32 The total capacity of the electric power projects we are working on is about 3.7 gigawatts.
14:40 Our company and Quat, Rushidro and Quat, offers a wide range of services to African partners,
14:48 from the design and supply of equipment to the modernization and construction of new
14:54 turnkey generation facilities.
14:57 Gazprom, Rosneft, Lukoil, Zerubezhneft are our companies engaged in the development of
15:04 oil and gas fields in Algeria, Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo.
15:13 Over the past two years, exports of Russian crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied
15:20 natural gas to Africa have increased 2.6 times.
15:25 Rosartom, our leading company in the field of nuclear energy use, is building the Dabar
15:32 nuclear power plant in Egypt.
15:35 At the same time, our state corporation can provide African countries with its unique
15:42 experience and technologies that have no analogues in the world in the field of non-energy use
15:47 of the and Quat, peaceful atom and Quat.
15:52 For example, in medicine and agriculture.
15:56 Of particular importance is the deepening of Russian-African industrial cooperation.
16:02 Our industrial products, including cars, construction equipment, etc., are widely known on the continent
16:11 and are in great demand.
16:13 They are distinguished by good quality, reliability and ease of operation.
16:19 In Africa, there are special service centers for servicing Russian equipment.
16:25 New instruments are being developed for preferential crediting of African purchases of our industrial
16:32 products, their transportation to the continent and after-sales service.
16:39 The Russian Agency for Export Credit and Investment Insurance provides insurance coverage for
16:45 loans, an Africa-oriented leasing mechanism and a specialized investment fund are being
16:52 formed to participate in financing infrastructure projects.
16:57 In Egypt, I spoke with my colleague yesterday, President Sisi.
17:02 We are discussing, I hope, in the near future we will launch a Russian industrial zone in
17:09 the Suez Canal area.
17:12 We expect that the construction of the first production facilities will begin there this
17:17 year, and in the future the manufactured goods will be exported throughout Africa.
17:24 Being one of the leaders in the field of information and communication technologies, Russia is
17:30 expanding cooperation with African states in the field of information security, artificial
17:38 intelligence, and digital economy.
17:41 We have a good experience in the creation and use of information technologies in tax
17:47 administration, registration of property rights, provision of electronic public services to
17:54 citizens and legal entities.
17:58 Companies.
17:59 We can assist interested African countries in launching similar systems and are always
18:05 ready to share best practices in the context of technological development.
18:10 In order to further expand the entire range of trade and economic ties, it is important
18:17 to switch more vigorously to national currencies, including the ruble, in financial calculations
18:25 for trade transactions.
18:28 In this regard, we are ready to work with African countries to develop their financial
18:33 infrastructure, to connect banking institutions to the financial message transmission system
18:41 created in Russia, which allows cross-border payments to be made independently of some
18:47 existing and restrictive Western systems.
18:52 This will contribute to increasing the stability, predictability and security of mutual trade
18:59 exchanges.
19:01 Russia is also actively engaged in reorienting transport and logistics flows towards the
19:07 countries of the global south, including, of course, Africa.
19:13 The North-South International Transport Corridor, which we are developing, aims to provide Russian
19:20 goods with access to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, from where they will be
19:26 able to arrive by the shortest sea route, including to the African continent.
19:32 Naturally, this corridor can be used in the opposite direction for the supply of African
19:39 goods to the Russian market, ensuring the connection of the North-South Transport Corridor
19:46 with Africa, launching regular shipping cargo lines.
19:50 That's what we are trying to achieve.
19:53 The opening of a Russian transport and logistics centre in one of the ports on the African
19:59 East Coast would be a good thing, a good start to this joint work.
20:04 We consider it very important to ensure wider coverage of the African continent by direct
20:10 flights and participation in the development of the African railway network are the urgent
20:17 tasks that we invite our African friends to work on together.
20:23 Russia is interested in strengthening multifaceted ties with all regional economic integration
20:29 associations and structures operating on the continent.
20:34 For example, we are in favour of establishing cooperation between the Eurasian Economic
20:40 Union as the largest integration project in which Russia participates, and the African
20:47 Continental Free Trade Zone formed within the framework of the African Union.
20:53 We are also ready to share with our African partners our integration experience through
20:59 the Union State of Russia and Belarus.
21:03 Today we will hold a working lunch with the participation of the heads of state and government
21:08 of the countries currently heading the main regional organisations in Africa, and the
21:14 heads of the executive bodies of these associations.
21:19 We intend to offer our African partners our best practices on such important integration
21:26 issues as the lifting of restrictions within the single market, the functioning of free
21:32 trade zones, the implementation of coordinated agricultural, industrial and other sectoral
21:40 policies.
21:41 I am convinced that such comprehensive cooperation, both on a bilateral and multilateral basis,
21:49 will allow us to qualitatively and quantitatively increase economic ties with Africa.
21:56 I would also like to draw attention to the fact that bilateral intergovernmental commissions
22:02 have proved their effectiveness in developing cooperation in the economic and humanitarian
22:09 spheres.
22:10 However, today they are available in Russia only with every third country of the continent,
22:17 there are 18 of them in 54 countries.
22:21 In this regard, we invite interested and not yet covered African states to think about
22:27 forming such commissions together with us.
22:31 Of course, we are ready for this, and we think it would be useful.
22:37 We are also ready to expand the network of Russian trade missions operating in Africa,
22:43 to increase the staff of economic advisors, attachers for agriculture, education, science
22:51 and information and communication technologies.
22:54 Dear friends, we will continue to pay the closest attention to strengthening cultural,
23:01 scientific, educational, sports and youth exchanges between Russia and African states.
23:09 Our country also has a lot to offer here.
23:12 Of course, the traditional area of Russian-African cooperation has been and remains the training
23:20 of qualified personnel.
23:22 We just talked about this at a meeting with the leadership of the African Union.
23:28 Today, almost 35,000 students from Africa study at Russian universities, and this number
23:36 is growing every year.
23:38 The quota for training for Africans at the expense of the federal budget has increased
23:44 two and a half times in three years and will amount to more than 4,700 people for the next
23:51 academic year.
23:53 There are plans to open branches of leading Russian universities in Africa.
23:59 Close cooperation with African educational institutions is also being established within
24:05 the framework of the Russian African Network University.
24:10 I would like to mention that on the eve of our forum, on July 26, an agreement was signed
24:16 at Saint Petersburg Mining University on the establishment of the Russian-African Consortium
24:23 of Technical Universities the Bowels of Africa, providing for joint training of specialists
24:31 for the mineral resource complex.
24:34 I think this is a very important and interesting area of cooperation.
24:39 We will continue to help our African friends in the development of not only higher, but
24:45 also general and secondary vocational education, train teachers, mentors and technical personnel
24:53 for schools and colleges, establish joint schools for which adapted methodological materials
25:00 are already being developed based on the synthesis of Russian and African national educational
25:07 programs.
25:09 We propose to explore the possibilities of creating schools in Africa with subjects taught
25:15 in Russian.
25:16 I am sure that the implementation of such projects, the study of the Russian language,
25:23 the introduction of high educational standards of our country, will lay the best foundation
25:29 for further mutually beneficial equal cooperation.
25:35 Russian Russian Language International Organization is to start its activity next year, which
25:41 will be open for accession by all countries where they love and want to use the Russian
25:47 language, where they love and are interested in Russian culture.
25:52 We invite our African partners to join in this work.
25:57 A project has been launched in 28 African countries to create open education centers
26:04 for the training of teachers and educators of preschool institutions, primary and secondary
26:11 schools.
26:12 To this end, we plan to significantly increase the recruitment of African students to Russian
26:19 pedagogical universities.
26:21 Of the Africans currently studying in Russia, more than 10,000 are being trained in medical
26:28 specialties, healthcare and epidemic control are an important area of Russian-African cooperation.
26:37 Let me remind you that Russia was one of the first to come to the aid of African countries
26:42 during the coronavirus pandemic.
26:45 We have sent millions of Russian tests to African states free of charge, and together
26:52 with South Africa we conducted scientific research of new strains of a dangerous virus.
26:59 In recent months alone, two Russian mobile laboratories have been handed over to partners
27:06 from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Russian Guinean Center for the Study
27:12 of Infections in the city of Kindia, where more than 20 diagnostic drugs have been developed,
27:19 has continued to be equipped.
27:22 About 1.5 thousand local specialists have been trained in Russian methods of infection
27:29 prevention and control.
27:31 A joint center for the study of infections in Burundi has also been established.
27:38 A large-scale Russian program of assistance to Africa to combat infections has been prepared,
27:45 calculated until 2026, for which 1.2 billion rubles have been allocated.
27:54 Within its framework, 10 mobile laboratories will be delivered to the countries of the
27:59 continent, hundreds of specialists will be trained, joint research will be conducted.
28:07 Every year there are more youth exchanges between Russia and Africa.
28:12 Representatives of African countries annually participate in the program of short-term study
28:17 visits to our country by young representatives of political, public, scientific, and business
28:25 circles within the framework of the New Generation program.
28:31 Contacts are also maintained with those Africans who have been educated in Russia.
28:37 It was very pleasant for me to talk with colleagues during the previous meeting who speak Russian
28:43 fluently.
28:44 Taking this opportunity, I would like to invite young African friends to come to our country
28:51 in March 2024, to Sochi, for the World Youth Festival.
28:57 This is a large-scale forum that will bring together young people from all over the world.
29:04 More than 20,000 representatives from more than 180 countries of the world are expected
29:11 to participate.
29:13 We attach great importance to cooperation in the field of physical culture and sports.
29:20 We are ready to further develop ties with sports federations of African countries.
29:26 We propose to intensify cooperation between sports universities in Russia and African
29:32 countries, to carry out university exchanges, volunteer programs, to hold joint matches
29:40 in various sports between educational institutions and universities.
29:47 We invite athletes from Africa to take part in the International University Sports Festival
29:53 in August in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Urals, as well as in the Games of the
30:00 Future, which will be held in February-March 2024 in Kazan, and represent a unique combination
30:08 of dynamic sports disciplines with the most popular video games and technological devices.
30:16 The new competition format is designed to combine classic and innovative sports.
30:22 The Russian side is also committed to developing cooperation with African countries, with the
30:29 African continent in the field of mass communications, including in the areas of content exchange,
30:37 organizing educational courses for media workers and students, and conducting experimental
30:44 events.
30:45 Work is already underway to open representative offices of leading Russian media in Africa,
30:52 TASS News Agency, Rossiya Sogodnya, RT TV Channel, VGTRK, Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
31:02 We propose to work towards the creation of a common information space between Russia
31:07 and Africa, within which objective, unbiased information about events taking place in the
31:14 world will be broadcast to Russian and African audiences.
31:20 In conclusion, I would like to emphasize once again that Russia is sincerely interested
31:26 in further comprehensive development and deepening of trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation
31:34 with all African countries.
31:36 I am sure that the work of the current forum and the thematic meetings, roundtables, and
31:43 negotiations held within its framework will certainly be useful and will contribute to
31:49 the achievement of all our common goals.
31:52 Thank you.
31:53 More for your patience and attention.
31:56 Thank you.
31:57 Thank you.
31:58 Thank you.
31:59 Thank you.
32:00 Thank you.
32:01 [BLANK_AUDIO]