Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a significant surge in trade between Russia and African countries during the first half of 2023. Despite facing international sanctions and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, trade turnover increased by nearly 35% compared to the previous year.
Putin revealed this positive development during a trilateral meeting with the Chairperson of the African Union and the President of the Union of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat.
Last year, the volume of mutual trade between Russia and Africa had already reached approximately 18 billion dollars. However, this year’s growth has been remarkable, with the trade turnover exceeding expectations. Putin emphasized that Russia continues to serve as a reliable supplier of food to Africa, with exports in this category amounting to 4.7 billion dollars in 2022.
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The trade boost comes amid a challenging geopolitical backdrop, as Putin sought support from African allies in light of the military operation in Ukraine. Some African leaders attended a summit in Russia, but the Kremlin accused Western powers of attempting to pressure other African heads of state not to participate.
The two-day summit in St. Petersburg aimed to strengthen ties with Africa, a continent of 1.3 billion people that is increasingly asserting itself on the global stage.
However, African leaders made it clear during the meeting that they could not overlook the Russia-Ukraine issue due to their existing partnerships with both countries, and they recognized the potential negative consequences on Africa and the rest of the world.
