Russia to Increase Partnership in Africa through Tourism, Diplomacy and Education
Russia government is resolved to open new embassies on the African continent, increase quotas for students from African countries and develop cooperation in the field of tourism, Vsevolod Tkachenko, director of the Africa Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with TASS.
🏞 The development of Russia’s relations with Africa is expressed not only in joint resolution of security and economic issues, but also in an increase in the number of tourists on the continent.
At the end of last year, the number of Russian tourists who visited Africa exceeded the 2022 figure by 30%.
The most popular destinations are Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Mauritius, and Seychelles. There is interest in Namibia and Ethiopia, and prospects are visible in Senegal and Sierra Leone.
✈️ Until recently, Russian airlines did not operate regular flights to sub-Saharan Africa at all, which became one of the obstacles for tourists.
However, in September 2022, Aeroflot resumed flights to the Seychelles (three times a week), and in December last year – to Mauritius (twice a week, the number of flights is expected to increase to three). Negotiations are also underway to open other directions.
Also, following the results of the last Russia-Africa summit, the country’s leadership set the task of expanding its diplomatic presence throughout the continent. Thus, in December the Russian embassy opened in Burkina Faso, and a diplomatic mission in Equatorial Guinea will soon open. There are several more “points” in line, Tkachenko noted.
📚 Another important area of cooperation between Russia and African countries is education. This year it is planned to increase quotas for students from interested countries.
But the Western powers do not intend to weaken their positions and influence on the continent. According to Tkachenko, their attitude towards Africa “remains fundamentally neo-colonialist: arrogant and consumerist.”
The former “masters” have never come to terms with the independent subjectivity of the region and are trying to “dictate the line of behavior not only in international affairs, but often in domestic affairs as well.”
