Putin raps former colonisers for throwing Africa into a debt trap

20 September 2023

President Putin takes a poke at former colonisers during the 8th Eastern Economic Forum

Share this story

The Pan Afrikanist Watchman

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has once again taken a swipe at the former colonisers for throwing Africa into a debt trap from which she cannot escape.

Addressing the Plenary Session of the 8th Eastern Economic Forum, Putin recalled how the colonisers have put all African countries in debt, which runs into trillions of dollars.

“In other words, they have created a financial credit system for Africa under which the African countries can never pay off their loans. These are not credit arrangements at all; it is a form of contribution,” he noted.

Depicting in graphic form the brutality and inhumanity of the colonisers, Putin remembered a picture he was recently shown which showed how as recent as 1957 the colonisers brought people from Africa in cages to European countries, for example, Belgium.

“It is an ugly sight, children put up on display in cages. They brought people in cages and put them up on display, whole families and children in separate cages.

“How can you forget this? Nobody in Africa will ever forget this. And now they are trying to issue commands and pursue their neo-colonial policy there!” he said of the double standards of the Collective West.

But as for Russia, Putin extolled its relationship with Africa, recalling the ‘openness’ and “desire to work with us” demonstrated by African leaders during the recent July 26th Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg.

Putin pointed out that this desire is not necessarily borne out of the realization that Russia did something for Africa, such as helping their people regain freedom and independence and fight against colonialism.

“The main point is that we have never acted as colonisers anywhere. Our cooperation has always been based on equality or a desire to provide help and support”, he said.

When people look at what happened in the past during their cooperation with Russia, or the Soviet Union as it was called then, and with other countries, their scales are tilted in favour of Russia, which we must certainly take into account and remember today, Putin added.

“We used and still use a completely different approach, which gives us certain advantages when working with our partners, including those with whom we had special relations during the Soviet era and those with whom we are relaunching relations now”, he pointed out.

Last Posts

President Putin announces Easter ceasefire

President of Russia Vladimir Putin announces Easter ceasefire

Share this story

Share this storyDuring a meeting at the Kremlin with the Chief of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov President Vladimir Putin declared that the Russian Side is ceasing all military action starting…

20 September 2023

On April 17, 2025, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a telephone conversation

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has a phone conversation with his US counterpart, Marco Rubio

Share this story

Share this storyOn April 17, 2025, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a telephone conversation. Secretary Rubio, who is currently in Paris, informed the Russian side…

20 September 2023

In the first installment of the Two Shores Dialogue series, two journalists — Ma Jiaying from China and Héribert Adjovi from Africa — exchange insights on the pressing issues of our time: rising trade protectionism, the shifting global order, and the long-term consequences of tariff wars. Reflecting on the legacy of the Bandung Conference, they advocate for renewed solidarity among the Global South, grounded in the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. A powerful, thoughtful dialogue that bridges continents and visions.

Beyond the tariff crisis, it’s time to take a fair look at globalisation… 70 years after the Bandung Conference

Share this story

Share this story‘A LOOK FROM BOTH SIDES’ is first and foremost an interesting Dialogue between two Friends, two eminent Journalists and a crossed vision of two media professionals, one Chinese and the other African (Beninese)…

20 September 2023

South-Africas-Government-of-Natiomall-Unity-on-the-brink-of-collapse-Picture-credit-Malawi-24.

THERE’S A SENSE THAT SA’S GNU IS TEETERING ON THE EDGE COLLAPSE

Share this story

Share this storyBy ABBEY MAKOE By all accounts, South Africa’s conundrum that is the Government of National Unity (GNU) will likely fester into a debilitating wound before it gets healed anytime soon. The revelation of…

20 September 2023

The world has now become irreversibly multipolar, a reality America’s ruling elites are refusing to accept.Photo | Mandar Pardika

US-China trade war: Standing up to the playground bully

Share this story

Share this storyToday’s China is not yesterday’s Soviet Union. Nor is Trump’s America the sole superpower. Anyone trying to push back the clock of history will get hurt https://www.newindianexpress.com/author/sudheendra-kulkarni The global tariff ‘war’ unleashed by…

20 September 2023

Panelists speak during the "Critical Raw Materials in the Age of Competition" session held on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, in Antalya, Turkiye on April 12, 2025.

Critical raw materials in age of competition discussed at Antalya Diplomacy Forum

Share this story

Share this storyPanel addresses geopolitical, economic, strategic importance of underground resources Sercan Irkin and Zehra Nur Celik  |13.04.2025 – Update : 13.04.2025 ANTALYA, Türkiye The “Critical Raw Materials in the Age of Competition” panel was…

20 September 2023

Related Stories