Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear during his speech at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) that unlike Western countries, Russia has never been a colonizer.
"In my view, the key point is that we've never acted as colonizers anywhere. Our partnerships have consistently been established on equal terms or driven by the intention to provide assistance and support. Conversely, the countries competing with us today pursued a wholly different policy. When people compare our historical collaborations with Russia, back when it was the USSR, and those with other nations, it becomes evident that Russia's track record is distinctly favorable. It's something we should undoubtedly consider and bear in mind in our current context," he emphasized.
He emphasized that African nations remember Russia's assistance during their fight for independence.
"The historical memory of the peoples with whom we shared friendship, communication, and often assisted in their development has endured. Restoring relations on new principles is not challenging because people in these countries desire it. This applies to Laos, where we have many friends, the entire Asia-Pacific region, and Africa. We recently held the Russia-Africa summit, and to be honest, I was once again struck by the receptivity of Africans and their eagerness to collaborate with us. I couldn't help but reflect on this: it's not just that we supported Africa's path for freedom, independence, and resistance against colonialism, although that's certainly significant; they remember it all," stated the Russian president.
At the same time, Putin remarked that Africans will not forget how their children were brought to Europe and displayed in cages in the 1950s.
"If we look at Africa and our cooperation, yes, we provided assistance, but what about the former colonizers? As far back as 1957, I was recently shown pictures of people being brought from Africa to European countries, including Belgium. It was heart-wrenching to see – children confined in cages, paraded as exhibits. Families were displayed, and children were kept in cages separately. How can anyone forget such a thing? Africans will never forget it," Putin emphasized.
Neocolonial policy
The Russian president added that Western countries are still "attempting to exert control" and pursuing a neocolonial policy in Africa.
"They've burdened all the countries in Africa, resulting in them owing trillions in dollar terms. Essentially, they've established a financial system with African countries where these nations can't realistically repay the loans; it's more of a burden than a credit relationship. Our approach is fundamentally different. We've had and continue to have unique relationships with our partners, both those we've had strong ties with since Soviet times and those we are now renewing relations with. Our partners appreciate this distinction, and I believe we won't encounter significant challenges in re-establishing our former positions," Putin concluded.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS