Authored by: Ahmed Moustafa
Introduction to Africa:
The human population in Africa is approaching 1.4 billion people. According to all international statistics, 65% of this population is young people who are able to work, because the United Nations assumes young people are in the age group of 10-24 years only.
This classification contradicts the concepts of the International Labor Organization, which recognizes that the age group is strong and able to work from the age of 15-55 years, and I personally agree with the last proposition.
Africa is one of the richest continents in the world in natural and untapped tourism resources, which the colonial countries (Britain, France, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Belgium) tried, but rather drained over the course of two centuries.
Without thinking about giving the countries of this continent a chance to rise like themselves, instead of what they took from them through colonialism, slavery and the killing of millions of innocent people, for nothing but the interest of the murderous Western colonizer and the greatest thief in history, and in order for these countries to become economically and politically dependent on them in the future.
Why should ِAfrica cooperate with Russia?
Russia has a good history of cooperation with Africa in the twentieth century, especially with the beginnings of national liberation movements on the continent, starting with my country, Egypt. Russia has never colonized any territory or any other country because it is a country that respects humanity and the principles of international moral law.
Russia was the best supporter of Egypt in its war against Zionism and Israel’s occupation of its lands in 1967, as it provided Russia with the necessary weapons to liberate Sinai, especially while we are in the midst of this great occasion that takes place every year on October 6, 1973.
In addition to major projects, including the High Dam project in southern Aswan, which was classified by the World Bank as the greatest engineering project in the twentieth century, in technical cooperation with the Russian side.
Currently, technical support and financing of the project of the new nuclear plant in the El-Dabaa region in cooperation with the Russian energy giant Rosatom, which will generate electricity and will also desalinate a large amount of seawater, both of which will be supportive of development corridors and projects in Egypt and can export surplus electricity to neighboring countries in Africa.
Russia, due to its progress in several areas, will benefit from large and promising markets with high demands for energy and foodstuffs, especially grains and oils.
As well as in other high-tech projects such as communications, space, artificial intelligence, and information systems, which Africa yearns for and lacks the cadres and infrastructure in it.
The Ukrainian crisis revealed the extent of the West’s contempt for non-Western countries, especially the Anglo-Saxon countries, and this point is shared and suffered by both the African and Russian sides.
African student’s problems in Russia:-
According to the latest statistics on Statista, the largest in the world, about 27,000 African students enrolled in postgraduate studies at Russian universities for the 2020/2021 academic year.
This number is not simple and for several reasons, including (the quality of Russian university education and the low prices of university studies) to a third or a quarter compared to studying in its analogs of European universities such as universities in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy and of course Britain.
In spite of this, there are problems among African students, and I have previously raised these problems at a number of events, including:
Problems related to teaching the Russian language are due to the difference between the concept of adult education and the concept of education for children.
This problem must be addressed through two things. The first is to teach an applicable Russian language that facilitates the student undergrads and postgrads the opportunity to deal with Russian society and the labor market according to specializations, for a period of no less than 10 months. Provided that there should be qualified teachers in these disciplines who are at least fluent in (Arabic, English, and French).
The second problem is related to the labor market and employment racism, which is summarized in the phenomenon of (glass ceilings) – because despite the amendment of the Russian Labor Law in 2020, African or Arab student cannot work properly, even if he is qualified, especially from postgraduate students compared to students from European and American nationalities.
Also, there is a problem on the part of Russian universities regarding scholarships. As the monthly stipends granted to students, especially in postgraduate studies, do not entitle them to live in a dignified manner and to focus on the subject of scientific research assigned to them, whether in a master’s or doctorate – compared to grants in other countries, including China, and I do not say Europe and America.
It is also a problem for Russian universities, as scholarship holders represent only 5% of the total students at the university level according to Russian statistics.
Certainly, the majority of these awarded students have different ideas and propositions, and they are an added value to their universities in particular and to their countries in general.
The situation may change after the Russian special operation, with Arab and African countries siding with Russia against the West.
There is an economic mutual benefit that Russia and Africa can bring together:-
We have a Chinese model that can be guided in this regard – the Russian media, for example, is still absent from Africa, so why not have offices for Russia Today and Sputnik in major African capitals relying on former African students in Russia who studied social sciences and media in Russian universities because for their familiarity with local and Russian culture.
Perhaps Africa will become a refuge for Russian industries and a source to circumvent Western sanctions, in the event that some important Russian industries are manufactured within African countries (a third party), which have good relations with the West and all countries of the world, and this is what China is doing.
The issue of eliminating terrorism in Central and West Africa and Russia is one of the major countries in this field and has a great previous experience in the Caucasus, and this will make the African countries in which France and America have planted terrorist groups.
Russia can also set up vocational, industrial, and agricultural schools, as it did in the sixties of the last century, to qualify new generations in Africa and spread the Russian language in its curricula. Those generations who come from the poorest regions of Africa, and do not want to complete university education to become the nucleus of good industry and agriculture within the continent. Therefore, it can help these generations to earn a living, and also by supporting micro and small businesses and entrepreneurship.
There are two areas in which African countries lag behind compared to other continents:
The first is the banking field with regard to the infrastructure of banking systems and wire transfers, as the SWIFT system has not reached many countries in Africa. Russia can build an infrastructure for banking systems, either unilaterally or in cooperation with China, linking it to Russian and Chinese informatics and search engines.
In the field of energy and here we have two proposals that agree with the vision of 2050, and of course, the outlet will become the Russian energy giant (Rosatom) either through the establishment of nuclear plants, or through the technology of hot sand and garbage, and I am familiar with these two areas.
Be guided accordingly.
Mr. Ahmed Moustafa
Director of Asia Center for Studies and Translation
Producer of “Eye on the Orient” this distinguished project with AlAhram Gate
the greatest news portal in the Arab World and the Middle East.
Member of CODESRIA in Dakar, Senegal, and Group of Strategic Vision Russia and Islamic World.
Master holder in Political Economy and Russian Studies via Higher School of Economics – Moscow, Russia
Author of “China, Germany, and Russia: A New World Order”
Cell-phone: +201009229411
Email: solimon2244@yahoo.com
ahmedmoustafa830@gmail.com
