Speech by Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko at the Second International Parliamentary Conference “Russia-Africa”

Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko
Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko

”Good afternoon, dear colleagues, dear friends!

First of all, on behalf of the Federation Council, the upper chamber of the Russian Parliament, I am very glad to welcome all the participants of the Second International Parliamentary Conference “Russia-Africa”.

This format becomes traditional. This indicates our mutual interest and the objectively growing level of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the states of the African continent.

It is important that our Conference is being held few months before the Russia-Africa Summit, which will be held in July in my hometown, St. Petersburg. This means that we, at the parliamentary level, will be able to formulate our proposals and ideas for the heads of states on issues of development of our relations, strengthening ties in political, economic, humanitarian areas and enhancing the role of parliaments.

Colleagues, we all understand that our time is marked by global, tectonic shifts in the world system. It can be said that the world is throwing off the remnants of the shackles of colonial dependence and moving towards real multipolarity, a more just world order. And it is hard, simply impossible to imagine new world without Africa. Russia not only fully supports this process, but our country is also one of its most active participants.

We have supported and still support principles of equality, mutual respect, inalienable right of each state to choose independently its own path of development, its own destiny without foreign interference. It is in this vein that we have been building cooperation with African states for many decades. Mutually beneficial and equal cooperation. We have always supported our African friends in word and deed in their difficult national liberation struggle against colonialism and illegal occupation. Our country, then the Soviet Union, has provided political, financial, economic, military technical assistance, support in the formation of independent states, built important infrastructure facilities, and provided training support. At the same time, I would especially like to emphasize that our country has never set any conditions, made any demands, while the Western countries have done exactly the opposite.

Courage and conviction in the rightness of their choice helped people of the continent achieve freedom and sovereignty. The role of African states is growing in the global economy. Africa is a continent with great potential that has yet to be fully revealed. This is a continent with population of almost one and a half billion people. A continent which over the past decades has made a huge leap in development, not only in economic, but also in social and scientific. The international prestige of the continent is also increasing.

I believe that this is a completely objective and natural trend that the countries of the collective West, guided by the United States of America, do not want to take into account. They are trying to maintain at any cost their primacy and the role of world hegemon, which has long been a thing of the past for objective historical reasons. They do not want to change their neocolonial mentality, using the well-known means of deterrence: sanctions, threats, blackmail, double standards and often barefaced hypocrisy. And they continue constantly to pay lip service to rejection of their colonial legacy, but in fact they are not ready to admit their guilt for the genocide of the peoples of Africa, the robbery and barbaric exploitation of the natural resources of African countries, for the committed crimes.

Thus, the problem of paying compensation for damage caused during the colonial period has not yet been resolved. A delegation of the Federation Council has just paid an official visit to the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. And I can say that the issue of compensations to victims of French nuclear tests in the Algerian Sahara is still unresolved and very acute for the Algerian people. And there are similar issues in many African countries.

I think that it is necessary to raise loudly the issue of compensating damage, I mean financial payments to all the people in Africa who suffered during the colonial period from European oppressors, from the consequences of colonialism.

I believe that our parliamentary community can rally around this initiative and hold former metropolises politically and morally accountable. During the recent visit, which I have already mentioned, we visited the National Martyrs’ Museum. I was so shocked by what I saw there: the crimes committed by the colonialists, torture, abuse, numerous victims of the civilian population and fighters for independence.

Returning to our Conference, I am convinced that parliamentary ties between Russia and African states are a powerful resource that we should use effectively.

We have recently noticeably intensified our contacts. Thus, delegations of the Federation Council paid official visits to a number of African countries. In addition, the senators of the Russian Federation took part in the 145th meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, hosted by Rwanda. In November 2022, the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation received observer status at the African Parliamentary Union and that provides additional opportunities to intensify our parliamentary dialogue.

During the current Russia-Africa Conference, there was a proposal for delegations from Namibia, Mali, Madagascar, and the African Parliamentary Union to extend their stay in Russia to make official visits at the invitation of the Federation Council.

Activity of Russian senators within the framework of bilateral dialogue mechanisms makes an important contribution to the strengthening of our contacts. The Federation Council has relevant groups on cooperation with colleagues from African states. Th heads of these groups, senators of the Russian Federation, are taking part in the events of our Conference today. Of course, we would like the number of such groups to be increased and most importantly, their work to be more substantive. There are a lot of issues for discussions.

The agenda includes issues of development of the energy potential of the African continent, transport infrastructure, agricultural sector, introduction of new technologies in the mining industry, and increasing access to modern medical care for people living in African countries. Interregional cooperation is also an important resource. Most constituents of the Russian Federation have partners in the regions of African states.

The Federation Council will continue to support this format of cooperation.

In addition, our joint efforts are aimed at ensuring the security of the continent, at military technical cooperation, at providing assistance in the fight against terrorism and natural disasters.

We aim to deepen our humanitarian contacts in the field of culture, science, education, to contribute to increasing in tourist flow, and training of personnel. By the way, I would like to say that the number of Russian state scholarships for students from African countries is growing every year.

Our dialogue on the women's agenda is also getting stronger. Taking this opportunity, I would like to especially thank the women African leaders for their active participation in the Eurasian Women's Forums, that were held in St. Petersburg, and their contribution to enhancing the role of women in our societies, protecting motherhood and childhood.

Both Russia and Africa are well aware of how important it is to think about the future, about opportunities for our young people. There is the Chamber of Young Legislators under the Federation Council. This is a big youth parliamentary family, a community of non-indifferent, active and talented young people. And they seek to expand contacts with partners from the African continent. I am convinced that the young parliamentarians of Africa will respond to such an invitation to cooperate.

Dear friends! The historical bonds of friendship and cooperation between our nations have withstood the test of time. Russia considers the countries of the African continent as reliable partners, true allies. I am convinced this will remain the same in the future.

Our common task is to change the world for better, to ensure the well-being and prosperity of the people of Russia and Africa. We should do everything to make hunger, dangerous diseases and regional conflicts things of the past. I have no doubt that the Parliamentary Conference will strengthen our common commitment to these principles. I would like to wish everyone fruitful work, creative spirit and new achievements for the benefit of our countries.

Thank you for your attention!“