The former Russian president highlighted the United Russia party’s commitment to multipolarity and fostering ties with African political movements
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has expressed strong support for African political parties engaged in the fight against neocolonialism and reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to strengthening political dialogue and cooperation across the continent.
The remarks were delivered on Saturday in a message to the Liberation Movements Summit in South Africa. Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and head of the United Russia party, stated his belief that African political parties, shaped by their longstanding struggle against imperialism, will continue to serve as a powerful political force, as well as “a guarantor of stability and socio-economic progress in their countries for many years to come.”
He emphasized that United Russia places a high priority on partnerships with African political parties, “particularly on the issue of combating neocolonialism, whose ideologues – the former colonial powers – continue their attempts to subjugate the free peoples of Africa, whose representatives have gathered on South African soil.”
According to Medvedev, United Russia remains fully committed to supporting initiatives that advance a multipolar world order built on the principles of equal partnership and national sovereignty. He highlighted that many of the organizations represented at the summit have maintained longstanding ties with his party and share a common vision of global development free from external domination.
Speaking to RT on the sidelines of the summit, ANC Treasurer General Dr. Gwen Ramokgopa said that the movements must adapt to remain relevant and need to shift from political liberation to pursuing “economic emancipation and shared prosperity.”
The Liberation Movements Summit, which is being held over July 25-28, has gathered representatives from parties such as South Africa’s ANC, Mozambique’s FRELIMO, Namibia’s SWAPO, Zimbabwe’s ZANU-PF, and Tanzania’s Chama Cha Mapinduzi.
In November, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized Western economic practices in Africa as “pure neocolonialism,” accusing Western companies of extracting resources while keeping the profits abroad. He noted a growing resolve among African nations to break free from economic dependence and reclaim control over value-added processes.
