Russia follows old path in new scramble for a piece of the continent
Russian President Vladimir Putin (centre) chairs a meeting in his residence outside the Moscow on October 16, 2019. Russia will host the inaugural Russia–Africa Economic Forum on October 23 and 24. PHOTO | ALEXEI DRUZHININ | SPUTNIK | AFP
What you need to know:
Deals await 50 African heads of state at two-day forum as Russia counters China, US, Europe, Japan influence.
Russia’s trade with Africa stands at $20 billion, about a tenth of China’s, which exchanged goods worth $204.19 billion with the continent as per the latest available data.
The calculated focus on Africa, observers point, is also greatly influenced by Russia’s shrinking options.
