Originally slated to take place at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in October 2022, the Second Russo-Africa Summit ultimately transpired at the Expo Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city after Moscow, spanning July 27th and 28th, 2023.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The initial intention to hold the summit in Addis Ababa was a response to criticism that African leaders were often clustered in European or American capitals during such events, which was perceived as undermining the significance of an Africa-focused summit….CONTINUE READING
However, given the events of recent years, what are the primary takeaways from this gathering?
Foremost, the fact that the summit took place sent a subtle message that life in Russia was proceeding normally despite the ongoing Ukrainian conflict and the imposed Western sanctions. While attended by representatives from 49 delegations, the summit was graced by only 17 heads of state, a decline from the 43 that participated in the inaugural summit in 2019.
It’s essential to recognize that few would feel comfortable visiting a country engaged in war. Additionally, there were rumors that the US and other European nations exerted significant pressure on African leaders to abstain from the event, making the attendance a relatively positive outcome.
Noteworthy figures present included Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Macky Sall of Senegal, and Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea.
Other prominent attendees encompassed Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission; Workneh Gebeyehu Negewo, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD); Amina Salmane, Permanent Representative of the Arab Maghreb Union to the African Union.
Dilma Rousseff, President of the BRICS New Development Bank; Benedict Oramah, President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank); and Gilberto Da Piedade Verissimo, President of the Economic Community of Central African States. Although Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was absent, his representation was upheld by the country’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
