Putin Seducing Africa

[bigsly]

Africa is home to somewhere around 1.2 billion folks. Wednesday and Thursday of this week Russian President Putin expects at least 47 of those leaders to attend Russia's first African summit.

For Moscow, the prize is greater political influence on a continent with 54 United Nations member states, sprawling mineral wealth, and potentially lucrative markets for Russian-manufactured weapons.

Russia already arms 28 of those 54.

And what is Putin's selling point to seduce the rest?

On Monday, Putin gave the clearest idea yet of his pitch to African countries, warning of rising competition over Africa. Turning the tables on the West, he accused it of intimidating African countries to exploit the continent’s resources.

“We see how an array of Western countries are resorting to pressure, intimidation and blackmail of sovereign African governments,” Putin told the TASS news agency.

He did not name specific countries, but said he was referring to former colonial powers on the continent.

“They are using such methods to try to return lost influence and dominance in their former colonies in a new guise and rushing to pump out maximum profits and to exploit the continent,” he said.

By contrast, Putin said Russia was ready to offer help without “political or other conditions” and to embrace the principle of African solutions for African problems.

...without "political or other conditions".

Trust me. I'm from the Kremlin.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ica-with-broadside-against-west-idUSKBN1X00V5

 

[suurfer]

hillarious thread.

On the more serious line, someone (bellisarius I think) once commented also about the growing influence of China in South Africa.

 

[LJ_Reloaded]

"Accuse others of what you are doing" - Goebbels, now Putin

 

[bellisarius]

hillarious thread.

On the more serious line, someone (bellisarius I think) once commented also about the growing influence of China in South Africa.

The Chinese are making moves throughout Africa as part of their "Belts and Roads" initiative. And now it appears that Putin wants in on the action as well.

This could get interesting. The Chinese are buying up the natural resources of those nations so being flush with new found capital those nations buy Russian weaponry. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[coati]

Putin did not have any trouble seducing Trump, so what is stopping him from extending his new dominance in the Middle East to similar efforts in Africa?

After all, Trump is not going to be a significant player in competing for markets in what he regards as shithole countries. Trump has no real strategy other than building a wall around this country and farting out Tweets while sitting on his gold-plated toilets.

If there is a power vacuum, count on Putin to move in.

 

[suurfer]

The Chinese are making moves throughout Africa as part of their "Belts and Roads" initiative. And now it appears that Putin wants in on the action as well.

This could get interesting. The Chinese are buying up the natural resources of those nations so being flush with new found capital those nations buy Russian weaponry. What could possibly go wrong?

Yes, it's fascinating.
The coincidence of Putin's Africa summit, right after I kept reading here about China's expanding influence in that area.

The world geopolitical map is changing.

 

[varv]

If there is a power vacuum, count on Putin to move in.[/QUOTE]

tell me, when to jump from a skyscraper? Under McCarthyism someone there jumped seems, roughly with such slogans?: D

 

[coati]

If there is a power vacuum, count on Putin to move in.

tell me, when to jump from a skyscraper? Under McCarthyism someone there jumped seems, roughly with such slogans?: D

Do your best to learn how to quote other posters and then make a point.

McCarthyism was about finding Soviet spies under every bed in America. My point was about Russian expansionism in the 21st century.