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Russia does not view Africa through 'migration spectacles' — Austrian diplomat

Karin Kneissl added the current summit is "more and more about commodities"

ST. PETERSBURG, July 27. /TASS/. Europe’s influence in Africa is waning, Western countries in their dialogue with the continent emphasize migration issues and commodities while Russia does not view Africa through "migration spectacles," former Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria Karin Kneissl said

"The influence of Europe is receding," she told TASS on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Summit, noting that the EU-Africa Summit in 2018 "was all about migration because from a European perspective it's all about migration. And now it's again more and more about commodities." "Russia does not look at Africa via the migration spectacles," Kneissl pointed out. That said, speaking of European countries, the ex-foreign minister added that "France does much better to tackle the whole migration problem than Germany."

According to Kneissl, the role of Western presence on the African continent is changing. "And that hasn't started yesterday and it's not because of Russia, but we have had China, we have had several wealth funds of the Emirates, for instance, which are investing. We have Turkey, which is very, very much present on the African continent. So I think the big game-changers on the African continent are others," she explained. In her opinion, "some Asian countries" will have more of a clout in Africa in the future.

The second Russia-Africa Summit and Economic and Humanitarian Forum is being held on July 27-28 at the Expoforum venue in St. Petersburg under its traditional rubric: "For peace, security and development." The event is being organized by the Roscongress Foundation. TASS is the photo-hosting agency and information partner for the summit and forum, as well as the host of the Second Russia-Africa Media Forum.