African Food Crises: How the Russia's Illegal Invasion of Ukraine Has Made a Dire Situation Worse

When a section of African Heads of State posed for a photo with Russian President Vladimir Putin after attending the inaugural Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi in 2019. [File, Standard]

Russia, after facing sanctions from the West due to its illegal invasion of Ukraine, has turned to Africa, a continent it largely abandoned after the Soviet era. This quest for renewed relations culminated in the first Africa-Russia summit in 2019, where the Kremlin sought to extend its influence. However, over the years, it has become evident that this relationship is one where Russia exploits the continent in various ways.

One glaring example of this exploitation is the imbalance of trade. Russia's trade volume with Africa in 2022 was a mere US$18.4 billion, significantly lower than the continent's traditional partners such as China (US$199 billion), Italy (US$76.3 billion), France (US$67.8 billion), the US (US$65.7 billion), and Germany (US$45 billion). Africa imports far more from Russia than it exports, creating a significant trade imbalance.