As at the last count, about 16 African heads of state attended the Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg last week. We should know the usual suspects – South Africa and a group of six countries that embarked on the ill-fated grain diplomacy or ‘peace mission’ to Russia and Ukraine in June together with some renegade African leaders who hoped to get some handouts from Moscow. It is good that most African leaders boycotted the summit. So, what exactly did those that went get? Nothing of course, except humiliation and publicly begging Vladimir Putin for grains. Putin, of course, responded in kind, condescendingly announcing he will even ‘dash’ free grains to six African countries – Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Eritrea, and the Central African Republic. What do these countries have in common? They are either pariah states or those where the Russian Wagner mercenaries are active. The United Nations described the gesture as a ‘handful of donations to some countries” that will not dramatically impact anything.
Meanwhile, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa tried to sound tough calling for “the Black Sea initiative to be implemented” and insisting that “We are not here to plead for donations for the African continent.”
Putin just ignored him, announced his miserly donations, and continued with the bombing of Ukraine’s grain export facilities. Had African leaders decided to collectively boycott the summit, they would have achieved a better result or sent an unmistakable message to Putin. Rather, they choose to go parade themselves before the same person hurting them and begging him for grains. So much for diplomacy and self-respect!
Christopher Akor