Russian President Vladimir Putin saluted the adoption of the St. Petersburg Declaration at the end of the second Russia-Africa summit on Friday, calling it proof of an enduring commitment to building a multipolar world order.

Representatives of 49 African governments attended the two-day meeting in Russia’s 'northern capital', which concluded with the adoption of a 74-point document outlining the areas of cooperation with Moscow, from trade and security to nuclear energy and climate change.

Afterwards, Putin shared the stage with African Union chair Azali Assoumani, who is also the president of the Union of the Comoros. In his closing remarks, the Russian president praised the summit for its “constructive, friendly atmosphere” and productive results.

The adopted declaration, Putin said, shows the “commitment of all our states to the formation of a just and democratic multipolar world order based on the universally recognized principles of international law and the UN Charter.”

Russia and Africa have also pledged to “combat neo-colonialism, the practice of applying illegitimate sanctions, and attempts to undermine traditional moral values,” Putin added. 

Highlighting some of the measures laid out in the joint declaration, the Russian president said that future summits would be held every three years. Russia and the African states will establish “a permanent mechanism” to coordinate on security issues – including the fight against terrorism and extremism – food security, information technology, and climate change, among other things.

According to Putin, Russia plans to increase exports of food and fertilizers, vehicles and industrial machinery to Africa. These commercial transactions will be increasingly settled in national currencies, including the ruble.

Moscow intends to send both commercial and humanitarian shipments of grain to “African friends,”the Russian president said. Moreover, Russia will assist in developing the energy industry to meet Africa’s growing demand. This will go beyond “traditional sources of energy” and into “innovative ones, implemented through our Rosatom,” the Russian nuclear energy corporation.

Last but not least, Russia will invest 1.2 billion rubles (around $13 million) through 2026 on a “large-scale program of assistance” to healthcare systems across Africa.

The Russian president also thanked a group of African countries for proposing a peace initiative for the Ukraine conflict, and said he will meet with their representatives on Friday evening to discuss the matter further.

https://www.rt.com/africa/580478-putin-russia-africa-summit-results/

 

by Faouzi Oki

Russia-Africa – Bringing Africa together against Western neo-colonialism

Russian President Vladimir Putin opened the Russia-Africa summit on Thursday July 27, 2023, organized in Saint Petersburg (north-west), by promising to deliver free cereals to six African countries in the coming months. "In the coming months, we will be able to ensure free deliveries of 25 to 50.000 tonnes of cereals to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic and Eritrea“, he assured in his opening speech broadcast on Russian television. "Africa's potential is clear to all. In order to expand trade and economic ties, it is important to move more vigorously to financial settlements for business transactions in national currencies, including the rubleHe said.

Last week, Moscow refused to extend the grain agreement signed in July 2022 under the aegis of the United Nations and Turkey, which allowed Ukraine to export its agricultural products via the Black Sea. Vladimir Putin justified his decision by saying that Western countries were obstructing deliveries of Russian fertilizers and cereals.

Delegations from 49 African countries, including 17 Heads of State, traveled to Saint Petersburg despite pressure from the West to dissuade Africans from attending. One of the most eagerly awaited is South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose office said in a statement that the leaders will discuss with Vladimir Putin measures to create conditions conducive to a path to peace between Russia and the United States. Ukraine.

Putin advocated settlements in national currencies with Africa and expressed the hope that a Russian industrial zone would be set up in the Suez Canal region, to facilitate the delivery of Russian products to the entire continent. He revealed that Moscow plans to open a production center for Russian products in the Suez Canal region in the near future.

The head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, has already made two tours on the continent since the beginning of the year, trying to attract him to the camp of Moscow, erected as a bulwark against imperialism and Western neo-colonialism. . With this in mind, Russia is ready to work with African countries to develop their financial infrastructure and to connect banking institutions to the Russian payment system. This allows cross-border payments, independent of some Western systems. US currency isused in international finance as a tool of political strugglePutin said the day before, during an interview with Dilma Rousseff, head of the BRICS bank. "It is proposed to work on the creation of a common information space in Russia and Africa, within which objective and unbiased information on events taking place in the world will be disseminated to the Russian and African public“, he said, referring to the agency Rossiya Segodnya and Sputnik. Note the cereal agreement which was signed in July 2022 in Istanbul, allowing Ukrainian agricultural exports to be reopened by sea. In one year, it has made it possible to leave nearly 33 million tonnes of cereals from Ukrainian ports, mainly corn and wheat, helping to stabilize world food prices and avert the risk of shortages. Before, the African Union had regretted the Russian withdrawal from the agreement. "I urge stakeholders to resolve the issues to allow the resumption of the continued and safe passage of grain and fertilizers from Ukraine and Russia to regions in need, including Africa.“said the chairman of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, on his Twitter account.

Faouzi Oki

 

READ FROM TOP.

 

FREE JULIAN ASSANGE NOW.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x922jHY-caQ

The French Are Finally Being Kicked Out of Africa

 

 

READ FROM TOP.

 

FREE JULIAN ASSANGE NOW.....

 

A Friendship Treaty for a Prosperous and Peaceful World

 

in Life/Philosophy — by A K Merchant 

 

WE all yearn for true friendship and how many of us have friends whose association goes back to our school or college days. There are stories of friends whose respect and commitment towards each other transcends ties of blood and simply material things of life. Enduring friendships may be defined by and founded upon the ideals and shared beliefs that weld society together. What uniquely defines the human experience is the transcendent components of life. It is this dimension of existence that enriches, ennobles and sustains relationships among human beings. It is this dimension of life that unlocks the creative capacities within human consciousness and safeguards human dignity. Human spirit develops only where considerable numbers of people express friendliness and work together for common ends. Such unity is brought about, not so much by community of bare ideas as by community of feelings by which ideas are “emotionalized” and become beliefs and motives. Persons who refuse to be educated by ideas are being educated by events. A lot of the youth and even mature adults a trapped by superficial attachments. The story of the universe vis-à-vis human beings is the unfolding of the consciousness of friendliness. It starts by taking an interest in other people. Friendships don’t just happen—it requires effort and positivity. Many people are shy and need a very friendly person to go out of their way before they feel comfortable. Friendliness attracts people and allows them to get to know you and you to know them.  Without friendliness people keep to themselves and have no one to feel close to or to share with. This is so true of our younger generations. Their best friends are their smart phone and technological gadgets. Rejecting the glitter and glamour of the tinsel world let them scale the ascending heights of excellence in all they aspire to do; be it the schools they attend or the institutions of higher learning; in their work place, spaces of entertainment.

In the West often I have observed humans are closer to their pets than to members of their family or even the community. The loss of human touch has resulted in mental stress, loneliness, depression and falling prey to harmful habits including of consumption of alcohol and drugs. When something good happens to a person, or something bad, it feels good to share those feelings with another person and this is possible when there is a friend. Unless a person is friendly people start thinking you don’t like them or care about them. A person can be friendly by just walking down the hall of the school, and by looking into the faces and smiling at them. These in turn would probably smile back.

Here is an example of life’s lesson in friendliness that helped overcome many barriers for real friendships among total strangers. Narrated in first person, this is how ABSHIR, a Somalian student, as a result of a friendly gesture by an unprejudiced white student, finally summons up great courage to embrace his fellow students from different racial background in a great embrace of friendship:

“I saw him from the corner of my eye. He was sipping a coke and looking out of the window. There was a faraway look into emptiness. Next morning, I saw him again alone and the next and the next. I wanted to go up to him and actually did when I heard a voice behind me ‘Hi Nigger”. “I turned. It was a white freshman. He seemed arrogant seated with a group of his friends. They were all looking in my direction. “What was I doing wrong?’ “Getting fresh with a nigger?” someone called out. Boldly, I turned around. Many faces one voice: ‘Nigger’!

“It triggered something within me. I went and sat opposite Abshir. ‘Mind if I join you?’ ‘No’, he looked surprised. We chatted. I got to know him better. It was his first stance at the university. His parents had worked hard to pay for him, so he could be in the U.S. and some day they may visit him. He wanted to meet their expectations but felt lonely and often wanted to revert to Somalia. “I often wonder, what you think when gazing out of that window.” I said. I see my home, my sister still in school, my father coming home tired and mum giving him a hot cocoa. His eyes had a distant look of Somalia. They were deep set and held a secret. There was something very attractive about them, almost mystic. I wanted to know him better. We attended a few same classes. He was always polite, never cursed, always hesitant if he was doing the right thing. He would look for approval and often meet and ignore, a sly look or a laugh. Living on the edge was not easy. I could see his volatile expressions settle into a daydream. What was he dreaming about? I wondered. We became friends. I had him read to me in the evenings, and whenever possible I tried including him in my evening walks.

“We began to be noticed. Slurs were hurled silently in the cafeteria. No one called him a nigger now. Yet, their glances said it all. I saw he felt them like silent slaps. I felt his sensitivity, his resilience. Next morning in the dining room a thought came to me. “You see that group at the dining table. ‘Yes’, he said, ‘what about them’. ‘Well go up to them and say: I have something for you.’ ‘But I have nothing,’ he murmured. ‘Yes, you do.’

‘What?’ he asked. I gave him a hug then, and another and another, to boost his confidence. ‘This is what you must give each of them. Let’s see their reaction.’ ‘But I can’t do that,’ he said shyly. ‘Why not?’ I asked ‘They don’t accept me.’ ‘I am not welcome.’ ‘Who says?’ ‘Maybe this is what their parents did not give them. There is a great need for this.’ ‘But from me?’ ‘Yes, from you to break the barrier.’ Please… for me do that.’

“It took me some goading and it took him immense courage to gear up to this physical contact. Feeling like a Cheer leader, my eyes were locked on his moves. ‘Come on, you can do it. Quick before they leave.’ I hurried my words. ‘This is the way you Will make a difference.’ Rising from his seat slowly, he gave me one long look and walked towards the group with hastening steps, ready for action. They were unaware at first, they saw his lanky figure and wondered: “What on earth…?” I saw their gaping mouths open in disbelief as he approached them. They became cautious not knowing how to react, ‘what was he coming for?’ The word ‘Beware’ was writ large on their faces as he came closer. It was a scene from a film. ‘Ready… shoot…. Take… Cut.’ I could feel him sweating from where I was, but I also found him determined to break the ice, to pave a way, to make a change. One of them stood up ready for a fight. Then Abshir did the incredible, what some called ‘inappropriate’. He put his arms around the white standing figure and hugged him tight. ‘Friend’ he called out. He did the same to others who stood up one by one reluctantly, fists ready for a fight. Then opening up with disbelief. Each got a hug, and each was addressed as ‘friend’.

‘Congratulations!’ My heart rejoiced at the congratulatory message of having non-violently made a difference to their indifference. His face was innocent. Long tapering fingers of an artist had carved a place for themselves in the broad trajectory of human endeavour. He was looking to me for a pat on the back or was I looking for one from him. We laughed in cordiality. Next day in class there was laughter, but not aimed at Abshir. It was at the inanity of assumptions, discrimination, and anxiety. The ring of this inclusive laugh tolled loud as did the chapel bells. We all walked in for a service together happy at having broken a barrier. It had been education of the heart.

Today the world is increasingly getting polarized. Rather than remaining mute spectators in the global unfolding drama, unable to agree on directions that humanity should take, we the peoples of the world, like Abshir, in a spirit of friendship must rise above conflicting loyalties and collectively commit ourselves to tackling the slew of crises that threaten our very existence. All the wonderful knowledge enshrined in thousands upon thousands of documents, research papers, books and articles, Wikipedia and the digital world are of no use if we can’t act as friendly human beings. Mutual and positive engagement as observed in many societies during the global health pandemic caused by Covid-19 or when a country is struck by natural disasters, has shown the spirit of altruism in every human being. Why wait for disasters to strike us? My humble plea on the occasion of the United Nations International Day of Friendship is that human spirit years for friendly relationships we can bridge divides, overcome misconceptions, promote cooperation for peace and harmony everywhere. Young people, as future leaders, can become the best exemplars of lasting friendships.

https://countercurrents.org/2023/07/a-friendship-treaty-for-a-prosperous-and-peaceful-world/

 

READ FROM TOP.

 

FREE JULIAN ASSANGE NOW.....

By Pepe Escobar

 

Three interventions in St. Petersburg summarize the pan-African drive to finally get rid of exploitative neocolonialism.

 

The Global Majority is free to choose two different paths to counteract the rabid, cognitive dissonant Straussian neocon psychos in charge of imperial foreign policy; to relentlessly ridicule them, or to work hard on the long and winding road leading to a new multipolar reality.

Reality struck deep at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, with its astonishing breadth and scope, reflected in the official declaration and key facts such as Russia writing off no less than $23 billion in African debt, and President Putin calling for Africa to enter the G20 and the UNSC (“It’s time to correct this historical injustice.”)

Three interventions in St. Petersburg summarize the pan-African drive to finally get rid of exploitative neocolonialism.

President of Eritrea Isaias Afwerki: “They are printing money. They are not manufacturing anything at all, it’s printing money. This has been one of their weapons globally – the monetary system… sanctions here, sanctions there… We need a new financial architecture globally.”

President of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré, the face of a resurgent Global South and the world’s youngest leader: “A slave that does not rebel does not deserve pity. The African Union (AU) must stop condemning Africans who decide to fight against their own puppet regimes of the West.”

President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni: “One facet of neo-colonialism and colonialism was Africa being confined to producing only raw materials, crops, like coffee, and minerals (…) This issue is the biggest factor why the African economies are stunted; they do not grow, because all the value is taken by other people (…) So, what I want to propose to Russia and China is to discourage as a policy the importing of raw materials from Africa, to instead work with the Africans to add value at source.”

In a nutshell: pan-Africa should go all-out creating their own brands and value-added products, without waiting for “approval” from the West.

 

The South African drama 

South Africa is an immensely complex case. Under extreme pressure from the usual suspects, Pretoria had already succumbed to the collective West hysteria related to Putin’s attendance of the upcoming BRICS summit, settling for the physical presence of Foreign Minister Lavrov and Putin via videoconference.

Then, during a personal meeting with Putin in St. Petersburg, President Cyril Ramaphosa decided to speak in the name of all African leaders, thanking Russia for the offer of free grain, but stressing they had not come to “receive gifts; Africa proposes the return of the grain deal.”

Translation: this is not about free grain offered for several African nations; this is about Pretoria wanting to cash in on the deal, which privileges globalist oligarchs and their Kiev vassal.

Now compare it with the Russian position. Putin once again made it very clear: fulfill our demands and we return to the grain deal. Meanwhile, Russia remains a leader in wheat production – as it was before; and while prices keep rising on global markets, Moscow will share the income with the poorest African nations.

Tensions inside BRICS, as illustrated in this case, are painfully real, and come from the weakest nodes. For all the devious rhetoric, the fact is India and Brazil prefer BRICS+ to proceed slowly, as sherpas confirm off the record.

Among the over 40 nations – and counting – which are dying to become part of the club, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia are very well positioned to be accepted in the first tier of BRICS+ members, unlike Argentina (which basically paid an IMF loan so it can continue to be paying IMF loans).

Reality is dictating the slow approach. Brasilia – under extreme pressure from the “Biden combo” – has a minimalistic margin of maneuver. And New Delhi is proposing first an “observer” status for prospective members, before full admission. Very much like in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), whose recent summit was decided by New Delhi to be held online. For a very simple reason: India did not want to sit on the same table with China.

What’s worrying is that the practical, gargantuan work schedule for both BRICS and the SCO is being slowed down by a toxic mix of internal squabbles and foreign interference. Yet the Russia-China strategic partnership must have anticipated it – and there are contingencies in place.

Essentially, broader discussions are accelerated while minor partners get their act together (or not…) What’s clear is that, for instance, Indonesia, Iran and Saudi Arabia possibly being admitted to BRICS+ will immediately change the internal balance of power, and the weak links will necessarily have to catch up.

 

EAEU to the rescue

St. Petersburg also demonstrated something crucial in the evolving multilateral organization front: the renewed importance of the Eurasia Economic Union (EAEU). The EAEU is fast expanding beyond Central Asia towards Southeast Asia (a free trade agreement with Indonesia is imminent), Africa and crucially, the DPRK: that was discussed in detail during Defense Minister Shoigu’s rock star welcome in Pyongyang.

All that spells out a road map like this: the EAEU in the vanguard, in parallel to China’s BRI (crucial forum coming up in Beijing in October) until BRICS+ and SCO gridlock is solved.

Only one BRICS member without which is impossible to build Eurasia integration has serious problems with China: India (and that includes rivalry for influence in Africa, West Asia and Central Asia).

Simultaneously, there’s only one BRICS member capable of influencing India: Russia.

Now that’s a challenge for the ages. Yet Moscow does have the potential – and the competence – for regulating the whole new, emerging system of international relations. The timing for implementing what will be in fact a new world system is now, and immediately ahead: from 2025 to 2030.

So Russia-India relations will arguably become the key to fully unlock BRICS+. Issues will include an iron-clad Russian oil road to India via Rosneft; solving the Afghanistan riddle (with Moscow keeping Beijing and New Delhi in sync); a more muscular presence within the SCO; closer security deliberations among the three Ministries of Defense; including Chinese and Indian observers in the Russia-Africa process; and all of the above micro-managed by Putin himself.

If China-India competition is already a big deal, we should expect it to become even more complex after 2030. So here’s Russia facing yet another primordial historical/cultural mission. This goes way beyond the Himalayas. It spans the full arc of China-India competition.

 

And don’t forget to call the Steel Kitten 

It’s always immensely enlightening to follow BRICS-related analyses by Sergey Glazyev, the Minister of Integration and Macroeconomics at the EAEU’s Economic Commission.

Glazyev, in two major interviews, has confirmed that a “sanction-proof” BRICS digital unit of account is under discussion, based not only on BRICS national currencies but also a basket of commodities.

He also confirmed that “we” are working to establish an internal BRICS group to design and establish the new system (by the way, these discussions within the EAEU are way more advanced).

According to Glazyev, a payments system outside of SWIFT can be set up through a network of state-run digital currencies – not to be confused with cryptocurrencies backed only by private speculators.

Glazyev also forcefully defends the adoption of the digital ruble. He argues that’s the way to track blockchain transactions and prevent non-intended use of funds – as in diversion into speculative markets.

Apart from all the huge challenges, the optimal path ahead spells out EAEU and BRICS+ observing international law and slowly but surely building the payments system capable of circumventing massive imperial choke points. A new BRICS currency can wait. What matters is the evolution of so many interconnections as the new system’s infrastructure is being built.

And that brings us once again to North Korea.

The Shoigu visit de facto cleared the path for the DPRK to totally align with the Russia-China strategic partnership in the massive Eurasian integration/development/mutual security process.

Oh, the ironies of “post-everything” History. The Hegemon may have actually been trapped into destroying NATO as a credible military force just as Russia-China reinvigorated a major ally in Northeast Asia and the Far East – complete with nuclear power, ballistic missiles, and a hyper-productive industrial military complex.

So the Straussian neocon psychos want to expand their unwinnable Forever War to rabid hyena Poland and the Baltic chihuahuas? As in first we go to Moscow, then we take Beijing? Be our guest. But first be sure to place a call to Global South powerhouse DPRK. Steel Kitten Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong Un’s younger sister, will be delighted.

 

Pepe Escobar

source: Strategic Culture Foundation

 

 

READ FROM TOP.

 

FREE JULIAN ASSANGE NOW.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHNpphq6cAc

 

 

 

READ FROM TOP.

 

FREE JULIAN ASSANGE NOW.....