Africa has joined Russia in the de-dollarization of the world economy. The Russian authorities and African countries have decided to weaken the US dollar. Apparently, Russia has forgiven Africa's debts of more than $23 billion. At the second Russia–Africa Summit 2023, among invited 54 African states 17 African leaders visited Russia. Russian and African partners agreed on reducing, though gradually, trade in the US dollar in mutual trade payments. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia and its African partners considered it necessary to work towards weakening the US dollar as the almost exclusive legal tender for mutual payments and as a reserve currency. Besides, Russia promotes cooperation with Africa "based on equality and mutual respect in the context of the development of a new, fair world order." "We are hoping to draft a global non-discriminatory agenda and to set forth topical issues that are important to us, and that meet the interests of most African countries," the spokeswoman noted. "The United States is using it [US dollar] as a tool for obtaining competitive advantages and for conducting its aggression," Zakharova pinpointed. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would continue supporting needy states and regions, in particular, with its humanitarian deliveries. "We seek to actively participate in building a fairer system of distribution of resources. We are taking maximum efforts to avert a global food crisis," Putin added.
