First Independent Mena Newspaper
France has emerged as Cameroon’s leading wheat supplier, ahead of Russia which has seen its supplies shrink by 65 per cent, per data published by the country’s statistics agency. Russia as late as 2020 was Cameroon’s largest supplier with 396,000 tons but the figure slumped to 138,000 last year. Cameroonian wheat buyers according to the […]
When African leaders meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg in late July for a summit, their discussions will likely be overshadowed by Russia’s pull-out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative that could badly damage Moscow’s relations with its African partners. Billed as strengthening cooperation in peace, security, and development, the Russia-Africa Summit […]
The Moroccan-Russian relations and the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit due in St. Petersburg July 27-29 were at the center of talks held Wednesday in Moscow between Moroccan ambassador to Russia Lotfi Bouchaara and deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov. The two parties also discussed bilateral political dialogue on regional issues of common concern, said the Russian foreign […]
With Russia now considering a withdrawal from the Black Sea grain deal and with its offer of ‘no-cost delivery’ of grains and fertilizers to ‘friendly’ African countries, Moscow seems to be recalibrating its African strategy, says a recent Geopolitical Handbook titled ‘Putin’s African Dream and The New Dawn’ published by Modern Diplomacy. While Russian president […]
The Central African Republic (CAR) and Russia have been holding talks for Moscow to set up a military base in the frail African country weakened by civil war during many years. The minister of Defense of the CAR, Rameaux-Claude Bireau told Russian news agency Sputnik that “the discussions are continuing.” The minister also indicated that […]
Six African leaders plan to spearhead and facilitate what they hope could be the beginning of peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv more than one year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Tuesday (16 May) that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had agreed to meet […]
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he gives a “priority” to relations with African countries, as Moscow was looking for new partners in the face of international sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “I want to emphasize that our country has always given and will continue to give priority to co-operation with African states,” Putin […]
The Russian government will give 260,000 tons of fertilizer to several African countries, including 20,000 tons already donated to Malawi, a step that analysts see as part of Moscow’s effort to win diplomatic support for its war in Ukraine. At a handover ceremony Monday (6 March) at Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, Russian Ambassador to Malawi Nikolai […]
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Mali Tuesday (7 February) for talks with its junta leaders who only two days earlier ordered the rights chief with the UN peacekeeping mission in the country to leave for expressing views against Russia’s Wagner Group in Mali. Lavrov’s visit of fewer than 24 hours will be his […]
Burkina Faso has denied claims that it awarded a mining permit to Nordgold just because it is a Russian company, its mines minister told the media on Sunday (5 February), rebuffing Western concerns that the ruling junta is seeking closer ties with Moscow. Burkina Faso allows all companies to operate in the west African country […]