By Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW (IDN) — With renewed and full-fledged interest to uproot French domination, Russia has ultimately begun making inroads into the Sahel region, an elongated landlocked territory located between North Africa (Maghreb) and West Africa, and also stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. While it remains largely underdeveloped and […]
How Russia and Four Other BRICS Countries Are Dealing With COVID-19
By Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW l PRETORIA (IDN) — On December 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. According to the official Kremlin transcript, which hardly gives detailed information, “the presidents agreed to join efforts in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, in particular in view of the […]
Russia Agrees to Strengthen Military Regime in Mali
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) — During his first official visit to Moscow under the military rule in Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, held extensive discussions with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The discussions on November focussed on increasing bilateral cooperation in economic sectors. But particularly significant was […]
Russian Experts Recommend New Policy Strategies for Africa
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) — Senior policy experts have advised Russia to make its Africa policy a derivative of the country’s overall foreign policy objectives taking into account the Continent’s human capital and natural resources. The ‘Situation Analytical Report’, as it is titled, was prepared by 25 policy experts, as part of a […]
Little Visible Economic Impact of Russian Cooperation with Africa
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Angolan counterpart Tete Antonio, held a sordid diplomatic meeting for a few hours on October 13 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was earlier during the month, preceded by a similar meeting with Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International […]
Nigeria Buys Military Hardware from Russia
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Fighter jets, ammunition and other military hardware are among the top featured items in a new “landmark development in bilateral relations” between Moscow and Abuja. The munitions are described as part of a “legal framework” to enable Russia to supply equipment and training to the […]
Tales of Egypt’s Quest for Russian Nuclear Power
By Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW (IDN) — It was a highly unique step forward in October 2019, when during the first Russia-Africa Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reaffirmed commitment to scale-up cooperation in various economic sectors and particularly expedite work on the special industrial zone and the construction of […]
Foreign Minister Botchwey on Russia’s Trade and Investment in Ghana, the Gateway to the West African Region
Interview by Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW (IDN) — For more than six decades, Ghana and Russia have had excellent diplomatic relations and are looking forward to build stronger economic cooperation. During these years, the bilateral political, economic and cultural engagements have transited through different distinctive phases taking cognizance of challenges and setbacks including the political […]
Russia Urged to Deliver On its African Pledges
By Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW (IDN) — Russia has a long time-tested relationship with Africa. After the first symbolic Russia-Africa summit in the Black Sea city of Sochi on October 23-24, 2019 both Russia and Africa adopted a joint declaration, a comprehensive document that outlines the key objectives and necessary tasks that seek to raise […]
Putin Confirms That Africa Is One of Russia’s Foreign Policy Priorities
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — While Africa has moved to center stage as a Russian foreign policy priority, questions are being raised about the record of human rights abuses by Russian mercenaries in Chad and the Central African Republic, among other countries. United Nations investigators are examining allegations of atrocities […]