PRESENTATION AT THE INSTITUTE OF AFRICA OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ON MAY 27, 2013,

GABRIEL KOCHOFA

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Benin to the Russian Federation

Keywords: 50 years of the OAU, Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences

On behalf of my State, I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers for the invitation and the opportunity to address the staff of the Institute of Africa.

We are here to celebrate Africa Day and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the OAU (now the African Union).

For the past 50 years, you have been working with us to help us explore our own continent. Russia has trained many highly qualified specialists for Africa. Celebrating the anniversary under the motto "Pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance", we want to realize the path that we have passed over these half - centuries: what we have achieved, and what we have not achieved, and why. We are looking forward to identifying our main challenges and challenges in Africa.

Africa is the cradle of humanity. Its population reaches 1 billion. 40 million people. It has huge natural resources and large mineral reserves, but the continent remains the poorest on the planet, and also burdened with large debts.

Faced with coups d'etat, wars, and genocide, Africa is also most vulnerable to serious diseases, including AIDS. In addition, public funds are embezzled here, and presidents remain in office for the longest time.

Illiteracy, lack of schools and hospitals, unemployment, and hunger are all problems that African countries need to address. This is clearly evidenced by statistics. Africa has 12% of the world's oil reserves, and its energy resources are 20 times higher than in Europe, but today the average American consumes 1,200 times more energy than a Rwandan.

This dramatic situation affects all Africans, who need to be aware of their real situation in order to move forward.

It is necessary to honestly admit that over the past 50 years, the hopes of the inhabitants of the continent have not been fulfilled. Conflicts continue, coups are being carried out. We have not been able to overcome poverty, hunger, and illiteracy. Africa's economic growth is the lowest in the world. Nor has the continent's political unity been achieved.

Despite this sad picture and the difficulties I have mentioned, I want to assure you that Africans are no longer in doubt. We know exactly what we need and where we're going.

The continent's economic potential attracts great powers. Western countries that have enjoyed great influence on the continent for a long period of time are now facing such rapidly developing countries as China, India, Brazil, Turkey, and Iran, which are expanding their presence in Africa.

The arrival of new players changed the balance of external forces on the continent and, to a certain extent, its future fate.

In a global context characterized by economic downturns in Europe, the United States, and partly in Asia, Africa has become the focus of global attention. However, this is not the time when African resources were reserved only for former colonial metropolises. The emergence of new players in Africa," rising powers " provides the continent with the opportunity to choose partners based on its own interests.

Today, Africa is an important political partner, having weight not only in the format of the African Union, but also on the world stage - in the UN and its Security Council, in other international organizations.

We understand that for Africa, the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) are a new alternative to cooperation, especially since these states have never had colonies on the continent.

After World War II, the United States and the European Union were the "torchbearers" of a unipolar economic system that showed its shortcomings and inability to lead the world. Let's recall the global financial and economic crisis that began in the United States, engulfed Europe, and then other regions of the world.

Today's Africa will build its relations with partners on the basis of mutual respect, friendship and implementation of mutually beneficial projects.

Today, the development of African countries is due to

three main sources of funding:

- internal fund (formed primarily through taxation);

- investment by development partners;

- funds received from diasporas.

Unfortunately, internal funds are small, and partners are often unreliable or out of business due to unfavorable working conditions. Today, Africa can rely primarily on diasporas.

It is no secret that in my country there are about 300 billion rubles annually. Beninese francs*, or 79% of development assistance, are provided by representatives of the diaspora.

The activities of the African diaspora, its material resources and intellectual potential make it an integral component of the continent's development. In the meantime, it must step up from within and seek to bring together more Africans living abroad. This is a necessary condition-the transformation of the diaspora into a powerful organization capable of influencing economic and, why not, political decisions made on the continent.

We, "foreign Africans", must integrate into the economic life of the African continent or reintegrate into it if we return.

Each of us must feel a sense of ownership in Africa's development and contribute to the challenges of the twenty-first century. I am confident that the African Union will be able to build a completely new Africa. The continent's development with the help of Africans themselves - perhaps its future - is in their own hands.

We have a long and long joint journey ahead of us. We have high hopes for the Institute of Africa, and the African diplomatic corps is ready to cooperate with it to solve its tasks.

* West African Franc. 1 US dollar is equal to approximately 490 francs (ed. note).

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