Longstanding ties give Russia advantage in cooperation with African countries — expert

MOSCOW, July 17. /TASS/. Russia has an advantage over other external partners in deepening cooperation with African countries thanks to its longstanding ties with nations across the continent, Indonesian geopolitics expert Fasyeh Hamid told TASS.

"Few external partners are as well positioned as Russia to benefit from these developments. Decades-long partnerships with countries across the continent give Moscow unique access to the next stage of Africa's economic growth," he said.

According to the expert, that foundation was laid during the Soviet era, when the Soviet Union provided African countries with economic, educational, and technical assistance.

Today, Russia continues to broaden cooperation with the continent, including in grain supplies, nuclear energy, education, and transportation.

"Russia's approach is based on a principle it has consistently upheld in Africa: partnership built on mutual respect for sovereignty, without any preconditions and without interference in how African governments choose to govern their countries," Hamid stressed.

In his view, Africa is becoming one of the world's main engines of economic growth, creating additional opportunities for Moscow.

"As Africa prepares to become the next major driver of the global economy, the foundation built over decades gives Russia an advantage that few of the continent's external partners can match," the expert concluded.