After the first symbolic Russia-Africa summit in the Black
Sea city of Sochi in October 2019, both Russia and Africa adopted a joint
declaration - in fact a comprehensive document which outlines various
parameters for uplifting cooperation into a new qualitative stage.
In order to boost effective economic interests and to foster
cooperation, frequent interaction is therefore necessary. The frequency of
interaction should not only be established during summits, but some basic
strategic steps and measures are necessary to encourage simply holiday travels
to both regions. These are significantly missing in the current relations
between Russia and Africa. Critics often say Russia is contributing enormously
to its own so-termed isolation, it closes its doors especially when there are
huge opportunities to develop first-class tourism.
With current geopolitical situation, Africa's middle-class
estimated at 380 million still have other suitable alternative holiday
destinations. Moscow and St. Petersburg are not their desire priority for
spending vacations. Russian tour operators acknowledge that there is nothing
such as African tourism to Russia. On the opposite side, Morocco, Egypt,
Seychelles, South Africa and Zanzibar are the few African destinations popular
among Russian vacationers.
The second summit declaration on 28 July 2023 in Saint
Petersburg, points to building on the historical and time-tested friendly ties
between the Russian Federation and African States. Here Russia officials only
dream of official state visit by heads of African states and ministers as an
essential pillar of their version of multipolar world.
Since the first symbolic Sochi summit held 2019, very little
has happened on the tourism, social and cultural sides. Russia and Africa have
been discussing how best to explore untapped resources, the possibilities of
promoting cooperation in the field of tourism, dissemination of information on
tourism opportunities of the Russian Federation and African States.
Russia and Africa agreed to promote exchanges of
delegations, athletes, teams, coaches and other specialists in the field of
sports training. And further down, take steps toward ensuring respect for the
rights of journalists and promoting the development of media outlets. While
reiterating professional training programmes, academic and student exchanges et
cetera, all these have, in practical terms, remained largely as official
documents stacked in computerized files and would later be pushed into electronic
historical archives.
For the past few years since Sochi, the first declaration
remains tacitly as a declaration. The basic question often asked is for what
purposes are the summit declarations. Worse, series of speeches and
juicy-coated remarks are seemingly for linguistic colouration. "Russia is
ready to build multifaceted relations with Africa. If Russia Wins, Africa
Wins!" remarked by the Current Chairman of the African Union, Comoros
President Azali Assoumani during the late July St. Petersburg summit.
After the first Russia-Africa summit held in Sochi (2019),
and within the framework of the joint declaration that was adopted, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation created a Secretariat of
the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum. With hopes for a comprehensive and
enduring collaboration on long-term programs, Secretariat of the Russia-Africa
Partnership Forum has since then been networking for potential Russian, African
and international organisations with the aim of effectively promoting Russia's
economic interests in Africa and to foster mutually beneficial cooperation with
African countries.
Early September 2023, local Russian media abuzzed with
latest information emerging from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that
Russia plans 'visa-free regime' with all African countries, referring to the
fact that it was within the framework of Russia and Africa's action plan
adopted at the second summit in St. Petersburg.
Our investigations and research indicate that Russia has
visa-free agreements with six African countries. And visa-free regime only
applied to African countries that signed agreements with Foreign Ministry.
Within the agreements, only holders of diplomatic passports are permitted under
this consular agreement. Moreover, the point on developing or facilitating
work, easing contacts with African countries, between ordinary citizens of
Russia and Africa still need visas to travel both ways.
According to sources monitored, agreements have to be signed
after successful negotiation with Russian authorities. One source confirmed in
an interview with me that Russia has an agreement on visa-free travel for
holders of diplomatic service passports with 32 countries on the continent, and
yet refused to make public and to the media the official list of approved
African countries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and the African leaders
adopted the final declaration of the second Russia-Africa summit. An action
plan of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum for the period 2023-2026 and a
number of other documents were also adopted.
In addition, a number of agreements, contracts and other
documents related to various areas of cooperation between Russia and Africa
were approved on the sidelines of the forum and the summit.
"We highly appreciate the results of our joint work at
the summit. I am confident that the results achieved will form a good basis for
further deepening the Russian-African partnership in the interests of
prosperity and well-being of our peoples," Putin said in a speech posted
to official Kremlin website.
Putin was pleased with the results of the summit, which was
held in a "constructive and very friendly atmosphere." Russia and the
Africa have confirmed their position on the formation of a multipolar world
order.
According to the stipulated rules and regulations, the
Russia-Africa summit will be held every three years. In the period between the
Russia-Africa summits, the mechanism of dialogue partnership will operate,
regular political consultations will continue through the Ministries of Foreign
Affairs of Russia, African countries and the leadership of the African Union.