Putin Says Russia-Africa Trade Reached About $18 Billion in 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russian-African trade increased last year and reached nearly $18 billion. His statements came in an article published Monday on the Kremlin's website dedicated to the second Russia-Africa summit.

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The article is titled "Russia and Africa, joining efforts for the sake of peace, progress, and a successful future." It was published ahead of the second Russia-Africa summit to be held in St. Petersburg on July 27–28. At the summit, it is planned to adopt an action plan for the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum until 2026, and a number of bilateral documents will be signed.

On this occasion, the Russian president noted "with satisfaction that trade between Russia and African countries increased in 2022, registering almost $18 billion." Putin said that the Russia-Africa potential for economic and trade cooperation is much greater.

The president added that Russian companies are interested in working more vigorously on the African continent in the spheres of high technologies, geological exploration, the energy complex, including atomic energy, the chemical industry, mineral extraction, the construction of transport vehicles, agriculture, and fisheries.

In this regard, the president referred to the need for "new solutions related to the organization of new logistics and transport chains, with the formation of new financial and mutual payment systems, secure and free from unfavorable external factors."

Putin addresses food supplies to African states

Last year, "Russia exported to Africa 11.5 million tons of grain, and in the first six months of the current year, already one million tons," Putin said. 

The Russian president also stressed "the importance of uninterrupted food supplies for the socio-economic development and political stability of African states." Putin stated that Moscow, despite being subject to sanctions by the West, will continue to "vigorously strive to organize the supply to Africa of grain, food, fertilizers, and other goods."

In this sense, he said that Russia "has always devoted a lot of attention to issues related to the supply of wheat, barley, corn, and other crops to African countries. We have done this both by signing contracts and by making non-repayable shipments in the form of humanitarian aid, in particular within the framework of the UN Food Program."

On the Black Sea grain initiative, Putin recalled that it was used "only to enrich large American and European companies that exported and resold grain from Ukraine." Russia's demands regarding the lifting of sanctions imposed on Russian grain and fertilizer exports to world markets were not met, he said. 

According to the president, "in almost a year, a total of 32.8 million tons were exported from Ukraine, of which more than 70% went to high- and middle-income countries, including the European Union, while countries such as Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia, as well as Yemen and Afghanistan, received less than 3%."