Africa Briefs

In Moscow, South African Defense Minister Modise Aligns with Russia

South Africa’s Defense Minister, Thandi Modise, attended the 10th Moscow Conference on International Security, Aug. 15-17. The mere fact of her participation, indeed only days after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had been in South Africa, resulted in tantrums in the British-oriented mainstream press in South Africa.

In addressing the conference, Minister Modise took Russia’s part in its war with NATO in Ukraine, saying, according to Independent Media (South Africa), “Together as peace-loving nations, we must say to those provoking wars and causing conflict across the globe: This far and no further! The world deserves peace, justice and security…. I bring fraternal greetings from the peace-loving people of the Republic of South Africa to the government and people of the Russian Federation, as well as to all delegates who are part of this international peace crusade.”

Modise and Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu, who hosted the conference, also held a bilateral meeting.

She visited the memorial for Marshal Georgy Zhukov in his home village of Strelkovka on Aug. 17, where she praised his crucial role in World War II. On that occasion, according to TV BRICS, she said: “I think South Africa will always remember who stood by them, who stood by the continent, when the times were difficult; Russia has not, Russia has never colonized any South African or African countries. That’s enough for us to choose.”

Some in South Africa want Modise to be Ramaphosa’s running mate as Deputy President in the next national election.

For the text of President Vladimir Putin’s keynote address to the conference, see EIR of Aug. 26, pp. 19-20. The defense ministers of Russia, China, and India, among others, addressed the conference.

Representatives of Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad, Uganda, Burundi, Mali, Guinea, and Cameroon were in attendance, and some may have addressed the conference.

Rosneft CEO Arrived in South Africa Just Days after Blinken’s Departure

The chairman and CEO of the Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft, Igor Sechin, arrived in Cape Town on or before Aug. 15. Sechin is a trusted ally of President Putin. According to the Aug. 26 Daily Maverick (South Africa), which ran the story, Sechin “appeared to have come to South Africa mainly for a holiday in Cape Town and the Kruger National Park. But while in Cape Town he also briefly flew to Lanseria Airport on 15 August and spent just over three hours in Gauteng [Province], prompting considerable speculation.” Lanseria International Airport is close to both Pretoria and Johannesburg.

The Daily Maverick continues, “Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, denied that the two men had met or even that the President was aware Sechin was in the country.”

SADC ‘Dissatisfied’ with U.S. Bill to Punish African Governments that Disobey

The 42nd Ordinary Summit of heads of state and government of the SADC—the Southern African Development Community—was held on Aug. 17 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on “Promoting industrialization through agro-processing, mineral beneficiation, and regional value chains for inclusive and resilient economic growth.” The 16-nation summit was not happy with the U.S. plan to punish African governments that trade or cooperate with Russia.

The plan is spelled out in the “Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act” (H.R. 7311) which passed the U.S. House on April 27 by a margin of 415 to 9. It is a “sense of the Congress” bill, but because it probably originated in the State Department, it appears that State is simply garnering support for what it plans to do. The bill calls on State “to hold accountable the Russian Federation and African governments and their officials who are complicit in aiding such malign influence and activities.” In recent years, State has often “held governments accountable” through regime change.

According to some reports, the SADC summit found the U.S. plan “in bad taste.” If true, it would make the summit memorable for a biting sense of humor rarely found in such august proceedings. And what could be a more deserving target, than a U.S. Congress that would probably pass a bill to impose maximum sanctions on Gondwanaland, if a prankster could get such a bill submitted?

According to the final communiqué, the “Summit expressed its dissatisfaction against the continent being targeted for unilateral and punitive measures through the ‘Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act’ … and reaffirmed its principled position of Non-Alignment to any conflicts outside the Continent, and directed that the matter be included in the agenda of the African Union.”

Nigeria’s VP Rejects Deindustrialization Under ‘Climate Change’ Pretenses

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, August 24, Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said Nigeria alone will need $10 billion per year in investments—for the next 40 years—to meet its 2060 climate goals while meeting the development needs of its people. Since western countries have not even come close to their promised $100 billion per year of climate change funding agreed to in Paris in 2015 to help developing nations—not just Nigeria—tackle global warming, this demand amounts to throwing down the gauntlet to the entire COP climate change process, as western governments are not able (or willing) to generate the credit, nor would they endorse the spirit of development contained in Nigeria’s proposal.

Osinbajo chairs the inter-ministerial Energy Transition Implementation Working Group.

“For Africa, the problem of energy poverty is as important as our climate ambitions,” Osinbajo said, according to the Aug. 24 Premium Times. “Energy use is crucial for almost every conceivable aspect of development; wealth, health, nutrition, water, infrastructure, education, and life expectancy are significantly related to the consumption of energy per capita.

“Nigeria would need to spend 410 billion dollars above business-as-usual spending to deliver our transition plan by 2060, which translates to about 10 billion dollars per year. The average 3 billion dollars per year investments in renewable energy recorded for the whole of Africa between 2000 and 2020 will certainly not suffice.”

“The current lack of power hurts livelihoods and destroys the dreams of hundreds of millions of young people. And although Africa’s current unmet energy needs are huge, future demand will be even greater due to expanding populations, urbanization, and movement into the middle class…. Unfortunately, in the wider responses to the climate crisis, we are not seeing careful consideration and acknowledgement of Africa’s aspirations.”

Wang Yi to FOCAC: China Is in Africa To Meet Africa’s Needs

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi offered a broad-ranging review of the priorities in China-Africa relations, as China sees them, in an Aug. 18 speech to the FOCAC Coordinators’ Meeting held by video link. FOCAC, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative and is currently co-chaired by China and Senegal. The meeting was called to assess implementation of the follow-up actions to the November 2021 ministerial conference in Dakar, Senegal.

Wang emphasized that China and Africa have kept their focus on development cooperation, and especially on infrastructure building—he identified specific projects underway—which, he said, will be a “strong boost to Africa’s industrialization process.”

He said that “fruitful China-Africa cooperation will add fresh impetus to global development … and bring new hopes to people around the world.” He emphasized that China supports the African Union joining the G20, and also Uganda hosting a successful high-level meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement. “We will work with Africa,” he vowed, “to carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-Existence” conceived by Zhou Enlai and Jawaharlal Nehru, which became the pillars of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Wang announced that China will forgive 23 interest-free loans for 17 African countries that matured at the end of 2021. The priority, he said, is “common development.” China will “continue to take meeting Africa’s needs as the purpose of our cooperation with Africa.”

“We welcome and support the decision of Tanzania and Zambia to reactivate the Tazara [or Tanzam] Railway,” Wang said. “China will continue to actively support and participate in the construction of major infrastructure in Africa through financing, investment, and assistance. We will also continue to increase imports from Africa, support the greater development of Africa’s agricultural and manufacturing sectors, and expand cooperation in emerging industries such as the digital economy, health, green and low-carbon sectors.”

Wang continued, “To help address the food shortage in Africa, the Chinese government has decided to provide, within this year, a new tranche of food assistance to the 17 African countries in need, and will encourage more Chinese firms to invest in agricultural production and processing in Africa to help realize food self-sufficiency.”

Wang Yi announced that China would like, “with the consent of our African brothers, to carry out trilateral or multi-party cooperation in Africa. What Africa wishes for is a favorable and amicable cooperation environment, not the zero-sum Cold War mentality. What Africa would welcome is mutually beneficial cooperation for the greater well-being of the people, not major-country rivalry for geopolitical gains.”