The strategy of developing political, economic and cultural relations between Russia and the countries of the African continent has always implied equality, mutual respect and a high level of trust. Since the Soviet era, many African countries have been able to appreciate the goodwill of the leadership of the first socialist state, whose ideology was based on high moral principles. The concept of friendship between peoples in the USSR was truly sacred. This ideology played a great, truly messianic role in the liberation of the African continent from colonial oppression. The decolonization of Africa, the humanitarian and scientific development of Africa, the cultural and economic development of Africa are largely the merit of the Soviet state leaders, who professed the ideas of freedom, equality and fraternity. Modern Russia, as the heir to the great achievements of the Soviet state, continues this course of equality of peoples in the new political reality, which is also part of the ideology of the BRICS Alliance.
Sofia Zolotova, a special correspondent for The Times of Russia, had a meaningful conversation about the prospects for cooperation between Russia and Africa with Vasily Zovdun, an entrepreneur who is the UPF UN World Ambassador, chairman of the Center for Business Cooperation with Foreign Countries, and an assistant to a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.
Sofia Zolotova: Good afternoon, dear Vasily! Please tell us, how do you personally see the prospects for the development of Russia and the countries of the African continent in various areas of cooperation?
Vasily Zovdun: You know, Sofia, as the chairman of the Center for Business Cooperation with Foreign Countries, I am clearly aware of the importance and necessity of cooperation with Africa. According to the UN’s average forecast, Africa’s population will reach 2.5 billion by 2050 and continue to grow to 4.5 billion by 2100. I believe that first of all it is necessary to invest in human capital, in education, this is the best way to help Africa. The collective West is forever indebted to this continent. If we remember the abominable practice of slavery, we will understand the tragedy of Africa. Two thirds of the slaves shipped from Africa to America died in the holds, in captivity, and this is a barbaric act of human exploitation by humans. The ideology and history of our country, Russia, is based on completely different ideals. That’s why Africans trust Russians. The African continent is attractive not only for its human resources, but also for its natural resources, which have also been actively plundered by the collective West. However, our national leader Vladimir Putin, after his famous Munich speech on a multipolar world, initiated the global processes of the second wave of the decolonization of Africa, and that is why his name enjoys such unshakable authority on the continent.
Sofia Zolotova: I absolutely agree with you, Vasily – the main factor of trust in Russia is humanism and the equality of nations as the cornerstone principle of foreign policy. Tell me, which of the African countries attracts you the most?
Vasily Zovdun: As you know, Sofia, when I was awarded the honorary diploma of the UPF UN Ambassador of Peace in the State Duma of the Russian Federation, it was a great honor for me to make a speech in response in the presence of His Excellency Mr. Genet Teshome Girru, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Ethiopia to the Russian Federation. To be honest, for me, Ethiopia has been a member of the BRICS Alliance since 2024, and for me it is the center and soul of the African continent. First of all, because it is in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, that the headquarters of the African Union is located, as well as the famous Africa Hall, the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
In February 2025, the African branch of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) opened at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia The UN is a serious humanitarian and political step that demonstrates the Will to create and unite humanity based on an understanding of shared responsibility for the fate of our planet. However, in addition to social and economic factors, other criteria are important to me, why I single out Ethiopia. According to many scientists, Ethiopia is the cradle of the entire human civilization. As you know, finds related to ancient hominids and early humans have been discovered in this country. These discoveries confirm the theory of human African origin, the theory of anthropogenesis, according to which the area of human origin is located in Africa. And the third and most important factor for me, as a believer, is that in Ethiopia, most of the population professes my native religion, Orthodoxy. And it is not for nothing that the ancestors of our great poet Alexander Pushkin came from this country.
Sofia Zolotova: Thank you, Vasily, for such a systematic and deep vision of not only the social, but also the spiritual meanings of the development of human civilization. Tell me, which African countries does your Business Cooperation Center cooperate with?
Vasily Zovdun: Our field of activity is multifaceted and includes not only the establishment and development of business partnerships, but also the implementation of charitable and humanitarian initiatives. In various African countries, we actively analyze and evaluate investment proposals, as well as develop projects for the development of deposits of precious stones, precious metals and other natural resources.
As part of our activities, we cooperate with a number of countries on the African continent, in particular Zimbabwe, Uganda, and Mozambique.
Sofia Zolotova: Please tell us more about the economic and humanitarian development potential of one of the countries you mentioned in order to introduce our audience to the Spirit of Africa in more detail, I would even say the vibe of the African continent.
Vasily Zovdun: In that case, Sofia, I would like to tell you about Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a landlocked African country located in the southern part of the continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers. The official name is the Republic of Zimbabwe. The country is surrounded by South Africa in the south, a member of the BRICS Alliance; Botswana in the southwest, Zambia in the northwest, and Mozambique in the east. The capital and largest city is Harare.
Sofia Zolotova: Vasily, even the very beginning of your story about Zimbabwe sounds intriguing. Tell me, are there hippos in the Limpompo River?
Vasily Zovdun: They certainly do, Sofia. Hippos, or more simply hippos, have been living in the Limpompo River since ancient times. These animals, as you know, do not swim, but walk on the bottom, they can spend up to four minutes underwater. As for the Limpopo, it is a river that runs through Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana and flows into the Indian Ocean. The length of the river is more than 1,700 kilometers.
Sofia Zolotova: How interesting! And what is attractive in Zimbabwe from the point of view of economy and investment?
Vasily Zovdun: In 2006, the government of Zimbabwe officially announced the “Look East” program, which became part of the government’s policy and reorientation from Western markets to the markets of China, India, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, North Korea and, of course, Russia.
Zimbabwe is a member of the United Nations (since August 25, 1980), is a member of the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, the Economic Community of Eastern and Southern African Countries and a number of other alliances.
In January 1999, an agreement on military-technical cooperation was signed between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic. In 2015, this agreement was supplemented and re-signed. A working group on military-technical cooperation has been established, within the framework of which various issues of cooperation in the military-technical field are being discussed, including the possibility of supplying modern samples of domestic weapons and military equipment, and organizing after-sales services for previously supplied military products. Russia has offered Zimbabwe a wide range of weapons and military equipment, including new Mi-38 and Ansat helicopters.
In November 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia was interested in deepening mutually beneficial political, economic, and military-technical cooperation with the Republic of Zimbabwe and was ready to develop industrial cooperation and invest capital and technology in the country’s extractive industry.
Sofia Zolotova: Vasily, there is such a stereotype of perception that supposedly every country on the African continent has a lot of gold and diamonds. It’s true?
Vasily Zovdun: That’s very close to the truth, Sofia. For example, let’s talk about
Darvendale.
Sofia Zolotova: Let’s talk!
Vasily Zovdun: Darvendale is the geographical name of the northern part of the Hartley complex in Zimbabwe, which is borrowed for the name of the license area. The license was acquired from the Zimbabwean Government in 2006. There are huge deposits of platinum group metals located here. The area of this license is 67.5 km2.
The Darvendale deposit is located within the complex. This complex is the largest of the deposits of the platinum group of metals of the so-called platinum body of the Great Dyke. Its length is 100 km and its width is up to 9.5 km. The platinum-bearing reef of the Hartley complex contains 80%.In the southern and northern extremities of the complex, the ore body lies as hollow as possible. Here are the most favorable conditions for quarrying and underground mining.
Sofia Zolotova: You know, Vasily, with platinum, in my case, you just guessed right. All women are globally divided into two categories – those who prefer gold and those who prefer platinum. And only diamonds, more specifically, diamonds unite them. As far as I understand, there is a lot of platinum in the Darvendale place you mentioned?
Vasily Zovdun: As you know, Sofia, both gold and platinum, as noble precious metals, have their advantages and attractive properties. As for platinum specifically, there is quite a lot of it in Zimbabwe, at the Durvendale deposit. The platinum reserves in the area in the form of ore amount to 594 million tons. The nominal platinum is 2,166 tons (69.6 million ounces).
In other words, the Darwendale field has the potential to become the largest in the world.
Sofia Zolotova: Tell me, Vasily, how much authority does our country enjoy today?
Zimbabwe?
Vasily Zovdun: You know, Sofia, the authority of our country is, frankly, indisputable.
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the country’s ability and desire to join the BRICS. Earlier, the head of Zimbabwe discussed this issue with the President of South Africa and at a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister, Amon Murwira, said Zimbabwe aspires to join the BRICS group and the New BRICS Development Bank as a partner state. He also noted that Zimbabwe and Russia maintain excellent relations in the political sphere and are working to expand ties in the economic sphere. Our center is already actively represented in this country, and we express our willingness to cooperate with potential co-investors and consider the possibility of joint investments in the development of deposits on the platinum plateau. Given the fact that we can ensure the legal and technical security of investments, we guarantee the protection of investors’ interests.
Sofia Zolotova: You know, Vasily, personally, I always associate Africa with the rhythm of drums and rousing dances. What can you say about this – what is the situation in Zimbabwe in this context?
Vasily Zovdun: In Zimbabwe
The ngoma drum is a traditional musical instrument that is actively used in all types of entertainment. It consists of a cylindrical wooden body carved from a single tree trunk and a cowhide surface stretched taut and secured with wooden pegs. It sounds amazing!
Sofia Zolotova: I already wanted to go to Zimbabwe; thank you very much, Vasily, for such a vivid and informative conversation. We wish you and your center real success and prosperity. See you in Zimbabwe, on the banks of the Limpompo River, where we will hear the rhythm of ngoma drums!
Vasily Zovdun: Thank you, Sofia, for the interview and your warm wishes. See you in Limpopo!
