President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, colleagues, friends,
We are delighted to welcome a representative delegation from your country to Moscow. The President and I were having a one-on-one discussion of bilateral relations and the regional agenda for almost an hour. We have many overlapping interests.
Russia’s relations with Africa have been expanding quite rapidly as evidenced by the outcomes of the Russia-Africa Summit held in St Petersburg earlier this year. We are pleased to see our ties with Africa recovering and expanding.
Mr President, as we discussed in our one-on-one meeting, there is much work to do regarding cooperation with your country. We must primarily focus on expanding trade and economic ties. Russian companies have significant interest in working in Africa in general and specifically in your country, and there are great potential investment opportunities. Your country has significant capacity to expand our relations, especially in the context of natural resource extraction.
We have discussed matters related to security and relations with the African countries and agreed on the next steps to this end. As for trade and economic ties, we have agreed to listen to what our colleagues present here today have to say.
Following our meeting, the President and I will have a working lunch, during which we will continue to discuss these issues face to face.
Please proceed.
President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (retranslated): I would like to start by thanking President Putin, my friend, for inviting me to visit this great nation.
I expected this visit to take place at a time when the world is facing international security challenges. I would also like to extend my appreciation for the warm reception extended to our delegation and the hospitality we have received since we arrived in your beautiful country yesterday.
Obviously, Russia is a traditional and strategic partner of Equatorial Guinea and the African continent. Importantly, Russia contributed to and fought for the liberation of African states so that they could achieve independence. This struggle should not be forgotten. That is why now, especially at the UN, when certain [anti-Russia] measures are debated, Equatorial Guinea always votes against such proposals.
Africa is being heavily exploited today. Africa needs to develop. More than a century has passed since Africa achieved independence, but we are still underdeveloped economically. Not because Africa cannot develop, but because our natural resources are being robbed– we are being exploited. And this hinders Africa’s development.
So when Russia promises to send its business people to help Africa develop, we can only say: let them come. And Equatorial Guinea is pleased to accept this offer.
I also want to thank the Russian Government for its decision to reopen its embassy in Equatorial Guinea. I believe that this is a very, very important decision. It will lead to political progress not only in Equatorial Guinea but also in Central Africa, because Central Africa is facing security problems in the Gulf of Guinea. It is a free trade zone and we are subject to terrorist attacks that are financed by our enemies.
Also Africa is suffering from terrorist incursions. We don’t know who is funding the terrorist groups. They are very poor people who do not have the opportunity to buy the weapons they use for their purposes.
Therefore, I believe that Russia, as a key partner of Africa, should keep an eye on the security of African countries to ensure that they continue tackling their weak level of development.
Furthermore, I would like to underscore Russia’s role in the world. We have observed growing efforts towards pursuing policies that could lead to an increase in global insecurity. There exists a counterbalance to the sanctions imposed by certain countries. We firmly believe that there must be a greater political equilibrium to promote global peace and development, because certain countries engage in exploitation.
These states exploit African nations which lack the capacity to use their economic resources or to protect themselves. These specific countries are pursuing such policies in order to be able to live off of African resources. In this regard, we are victims. I commend the initiative to send business leaders to help the African continent to develop.
I also asked my friend, President Vladimir Putin, to consider granting Equatorial Guinea the chance to host the next Russia-Africa Summit, provided it can be held in Africa. Equatorial Guinea has successfully hosted important conferences, including African Union and Africa and the Arab World conferences, among others. We possess the necessary infrastructure, and we offer our candidacy to host the Russia-Africa Summit.
Additionally, some countries are facing challenges. Equatorial Guinea has refrained from signing the International Criminal Court treaty and rejects this document and some countries’ attempts to impose their will on others. Equatorial Guinea is a sovereign, secure space, and we will not tolerate interference from other states. Hence, we propose hosting the Russia-Africa conference.
I have conveyed this proposal to my friend, President Putin, and he will be able to participate personally. We invite him to come to Equatorial Guinea.
Thank you very much.
Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.
<…>