By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – President Vladimir Putin maintains that Russia does not prohibit the activities of civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as long as these abide by the country’s laws, refrain from meddling in internal politics and inciting extremism and civil disobedience in the country. He told Russia’s state-owned TASS News […]
Russia Shares UN Concern About Rising Terrorism in Africa
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW, (IDN) – UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mohamed Ibn Chambas, told the UN Security Council’s first formal meeting in 2020 that the West African region has experienced “a devastating surge in terrorist attacks against civilian […]
A Renowned Russian University Celebrates 60th Anniversary
Viewpoint by Somar Wijayadasa* MOSCOW (IDN) – If education is the ultimate gift one can give a child, then, the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia has given that gift to more than 150,000 deserving young men and women from many countries around the world – who otherwise would never have had the opportunity to receive […]
Putin Promises Incentives to Boost Russia’s Population
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – “We need to address large-scale social, economic and technological tasks facing the country more quickly and, without delay. Our society is clearly calling for change. People want development,” President Vladimir Putin said in his wide-ranging address on January 15 to the Federal Assembly at the Manezh Central Exhibition […]
Putin Keen to Strengthen Ties with Former Soviet Republics
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – Russian President Vladimir Putin is keen to deepen and strengthen relations with the former Soviet republics, particularly those which initially formed the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and joined the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) after the breakup in 1991. Russia was internationally recognized as the successor state […]
Rising Concern in Russia About Spiralling Arms Race
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – Russia is convinced that proliferation risks and threats that are rampant today can be eliminated by the strict observance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), while respecting and ensuring the balance between its three components: nonproliferation, disarmament and peaceful use of nuclear energy. The […]
Russia Frustrated About U.S. Stance on New START
By Kingston Reif and Shannon Bugos* WASHINGTON, DC (IDN | Arms Control Association) – Top Russian Foreign Ministry officials have issued a fresh set of warnings about the future of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) because, they say, the Trump administration continues to refuse to engage in talks on extending the treaty. […]
Russia and Africa Resolved on Concrete Actions in Trade and Investment
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – After the first Russia-Africa Summit in the Black Sea city Sochi on October 23-24, Russia and Africa have resolved to move from mere intentions to concrete actions in raising the current bilateral trade and investment to appreciably higher levels in the coming years. As a first step, Russia […]
A Glimpse of Russian Policy of Writing Off African Debts
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – President Vladimir Putin hosted the first Russia-Africa summit on October 23-24 in the greatest display of Moscow’s efforts to restore its geopolitical foothold on the continent after the historical collapse of the Soviet era. Russia had played rather a crucial role in the continent during the Soviet era, […]
Putin and El-Sissy Greet the Outcome of Russia-Africa Summit
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – The first Russia-Africa Summit that brought together African leaders, corporate businesses, academics and other experts in the Black Sea city of Sochi on October 23-24 has agreed an action plan. At the initiative of African participants, a new dialogue mechanism – the Russia-Africa partnership forum – has been […]