L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ...

interpretations is the intensifying global rivalry for access to the
shrinking reserves of natural resources a considerable proportion of
which are in Russia and Africa.
The paramount character of the existing conditions and tendencies
objectively strengthen the positions of Africa and Russia,
while both tend to increasingly take similar stands on major global
issues. As a consequence, their roles in the world economy, as the
lead players on the global market of natural resources is growing
steadily. This may lead, on the one hand, to multi-vector confrontation
or at least tensions with other global centers of power, but
on the other, opens ways for consolidation of positions, and for
maneuvering between them, while actively perusing national tasks
and goals.
Those, who erroneously hope that the global development will
continue along the blueprints of the 20th century, believe that their
confrontational and hegemonic approach can prevent the world from
changing. They tend to underestimate the urge of peoples for a happier
and more prosperous life and freedom, that can not be stopped.
Disproportions in the consumption of global resources become a
threat to the stability of the world economy. The centuries old patterns
of distribution of commodities for manufacturing needs come
into contradiction with the interests of the greater part of the population
of the planet. This contradiction lies in the heart of the continued
economic crises.
Unfortunately, the West continues to see both Russia and Africa
as passive objects of its policy and to exploit their resources. It is
suspicious and negative towards all attempts by these countries to
conduct independent policy with regard to resources in their own
interests. It interprets as an attempt to form anti-West geopolitical
alliances the resuming by Russia of economic ties with African
states in the use of natural resources and the possibility to coordinate
their resources-related policy. In recent years, it became increasingly
evident, that no matter how much western leaders speak about resetting
the relationships or reforming the world economic order, their
strategic vision is still significantly dominated by the old Cold War
stereotypes and zero-sum games.
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