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May 8, 2008 ‘Russia
keen to do business in Africa’
By ROUX VAN ZYL
Business Editor
AFRICA is an important stop along Russia’s route to reclaiming
its position as a major world power.
This is according to the former South African ambassador to
Turkey and the Russian Baltic states, Thomas Wheeler, who was speaking in
East London this week.
Over the past two years Russian investors have moved into South
Africa and Nigeria with an eye to gaining access to the continent’s natural
resources. But Wheeler says there is nothing sinister about Russia’s
ambitions, with all South African deals to date being underpinned by free
market principles.
One such deal that could potentially benefit the Eastern Cape
followed a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin in September 2006 when
his country’s Renova group signed an agreement with the Coega Development
Corporation and United Manganese of the Kalahari (UMK).
The deal was for the development of a 1 billion investment in
South Africa to be made over five years by the Renova Group in a manganese
mine, a smelter and other related assets and infrastructure.
“Russia has identified three main countries to partner with –
Canada, Australia and South Africa. Canada is too close to the United States
. South Africa is the preferred partner as it is in Africa,” Wheeler told
members of the SA Institute of International Affairs.
He said Russia and South Africa had a lot in common. Both were
mineral rich countries, they share the same political ambitions for a uni-polar
world and they played a large part in the ANC’s struggle for South African
liberation, Wheeler said.
Today Russia will swear in its new president, Dmitri Medvedev.
“It would be interesting to see what will happen, if anything.
Some say Medvedev was put in place by Putin who could well retain the real
power,” Wheeler said.
The new president could cause a “two-power problem” if he
asserted himself and takes on Putin, he added.
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