What African leaders said at the Russia-Africa Summit as Putin woos them with condition-less aid pledge

Nigeria’s Buhari

In his speech, Muhammadu Buhari bemoaned how the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 severely affected relations between Africa and Russia.

The former Soviet Union had been a key partner of Africa.

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“We all remember the strong support we received from the former Soviet Union in our anti-colonial struggles,” he said, assuring that “Africa will continue to remember this, and many other significant gestures of solidarity and support that shaped our history as a continent.”

Buhari expressed Africa’s eternal gratitude to the Soviet Union for coming to the aid of the continent in its hour of need.

Taking inspiration from the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. – “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly” – Buhari urged that the relationship between Russia and Africa be mutually beneficial and be beyond trade and business.

“Our re-energized partnership must also address challenges such as counter-terrorism, poverty eradication, human and drug trafficking, illicit financial flows, climate change and migration to mention some of the many contemporary challenges facing our peoples,” he said.