“Africa will be among superpowers in the multi-polar world order” , President Putin promises African legislators

Vladimir Putin poses with African heads of states for the first Russia-Africa summit in Sochi, Russia. Image from CNN
As the curtain closed on the inaugural Russia-Africa Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference, the Russian president articulated the idea of a multipolar world order to African legislators. At the meeting held under the precincts of the State Duma from the 18th to the 21st of March 2023 in Moscow, Africa was proclaimed to be a leading power in the new status quo.
His Excellency Vladimir Putin was the guest of Honour on the final day where he addressed the Speakers of Parliament and Heads of Delegations from Africa. The Conference ran under the leitmotif ‘Russia-Africa in the multipolar world.’ The theme resonated well with the just-ended facets of the 146th IPU Assembly held in Bahrain, Manama, which also touched on the importance of multilateralism over unipolar, it will be noted.
The platform went ahead regardless of the issuance of a warrant of arrest by the International Criminal Court against the Russian President last week. African legislators in attendance heed the call as an opportunity for Parliamentary diplomacy and share notes on best Parliamentary practices.
In his keynote address, President Putin highlighted the critical importance of strengthening the Russia-Africa multilateral relationship which is premised on territorial and sovereign mutual respect. President Putin extolled the Speakers who attended the Conference and the coterie of various Heads of delegations who graced the occasion. Furthermore, President Putin noted that the Speakers’ Conference was pivotal as it precedes the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit of Heads of State and Government which is scheduled to be hosted by Russia at St Peterburg in July 2023.
The Russian President reinforced the mutual cooperation between Russia and Africa as underpinned by the Russia-Africa Speakers’ Conference whose focus was the need to accelerate the economic development of African States supported by Russia in the fields of Science and Technology, Energy development and improved agricultural productivity so that Africa attains sustainable food security.
Accordingly, this umbilical cord cannot be broken, posited the Russian President. President Putin highlighted that in the spirit of increased economic cooperation with Africa, Russia had written off Africa’s debt in an effort to further cement its economic relationship with Africa. Russia has the capacity to undertake major development projects such as the building of the Aswan Dam as well as enhancing nuclear energy development for accelerated industrialization of Africa driven by a consistent supply of electricity.