Burkina Faso President, Ibrahim Traore, at the Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg berated African leaders for what he described as beggarly disposition. In his words, “My generation does not understand this: how can Africa, which has so much wealth, become the poorest continent in the world today? And why African leaders travel the world to beg”.
The 35-year-old Traore, who came into power in a coup and became the world’s youngest leader, praised Russian President, Vladimir Putin for deciding to send free grain to African countries and said that Africa should become self-sufficient in food by the next summit.
Responding to Traore, Senegalese President Macky Sall said: “African leaders did not come here to beg. We are working for cooperation based on equal conditions between the countries. We say the same thing in St. Petersburg or in Washington”.
Drawing attention to the struggle that every generation has to face, Sall stated: “Our task is to solve the problem of terrorism that has ravaged our continent and to ensure the development of the continent.”
The Russian leader had promised free grain to six African nations and assured them that Moscow was trying to avert a global food crisis nearly a week after withdrawing from an agreement that allowed Ukraine, one of the world’s largest grain producers, to export its farm products across the Black Sea.
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President Putin also mentioned the joint determination to counter neo-colonialism, the practice of applying illegitimate sanctions and attempts to undermine traditional moral values.
Representatives of 49 countries, including 17 Heads of State, attended the summit in the Russian city.
Participants signed a joint declaration that called for “the establishment of a more just, balanced and stable multipolar world order, firmly opposing all types of international confrontation in Africa.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
