Its task will include the growth of academic mobility and the organization of joint research centers with Russian scientists, and the mission will be the formation of a multipolar world based on the equality of cultures and peoples.
On Wednesday, July 26, the St. Petersburg Mining University of Empress Catherine II signed an agreement of intent between an initiative group representing 9 African countries (Angola, Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Namibia, Nigeria, Mali, South Africa) and the International Competence Centre in Mining Education under the auspices of UNESCO. This non-profit organization was created on the basis of the oldest technical university in Russia in order to increase the sustainability of the global economy by eliminating the problem of shortage of engineering personnel and introducing innovations into the industry.
The subject of the memorandum was the creation of a professional community of higher technical educational institutions "Core of Africa", taking into account the experience of Russia as a reliable and honest partner. The task of the new structure, as explained by the participants of the meeting, will include the development and coordination of Russian-African cooperation in the field of education and science, as well as the promotion of sustainable development of the extractive and processing sectors in accordance with the principles and strategy of the United Nations.
According to the agreements, one of the consortium's headquarters will be located in Russia, namely at the St. Petersburg Mining University, and the second in African countries on a rotating basis. That is, it will move from country to country, but not more than once a year. Representatives of several delegations announced their readiness to open a head office at once.
As the main motivating factor, they called the obvious personnel shortage, which does not allow to efficiently extract and involve in deep processing minerals that are rich in the bowels of the continent. In this regard, local deposits of natural resources are exploited, primarily by Western multinational companies that receive the main rent from this type of activity, as well as from further technological processing of raw materials. Only the formation of high-quality national higher education systems that minimize the shortage of their own engineers can change the situation.
The meeting was opened by Vladimir Litvinenko, Rector of St. Petersburg Mining University, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Center of Competencies in Mining Education under the auspices of UNESCO. He drew the attention of those present to the fact that "Africa today is facing a new colonial invasion, more destructive in its scale and consequences than in the nineteenth century." The goal of the West, as Litvinenko noted, is global control of key energy and mineral resources. In particular, gold, platinum, diamonds, copper, oil, natural gas and coal.
"Today, a huge number of companies registered on the London Stock Exchange and having, for the most part, a British residence permit, are mining in 37 countries of sub-Saharan Africa, and collectively own the continent's most liquid resources worth over $1 trillion. At the same time, the investments that come to the continent are primarily aimed at the development of Western corporations themselves, the local population does not feel any positive effect from these investments. On the contrary, it witnesses the barbaric attitude of subsoil users to the environment, often faces violations of their labor rights and even forced relocations," the Rector of the Mining University stressed.
He recalled that Russia was in a similar situation after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Concession agreements with European and American companies have deprived the federal budget of a significant part of its revenues. The situation changed only after the rejection of such agreements initiated by Vladimir Putin in the first decade of this century. The new policy not only brought the economy of our country out of a deep depression, but also gave impetus to development for many years to come.
"True sovereignty, that is, the right to independently determine the vector of its development, both within the country and in the international arena, can be achieved only if the state is able to monetize its natural capital without the help of intermediaries. And to use it for the needs of the socio-economic development of its citizens. In the event that resource management is external, the main rent will go abroad," Vladimir Litvinenko stressed.
He assured the guests that if the African states themselves were engaged in the exploitation of their resource base, their citizens would be 10 times richer than the same Europeans. However, in reality everything is exactly the opposite. Is it possible to achieve a more equitable distribution of income? According to the rector, there is only one way – diversification of the higher education system.
"The mission of the university has changed a lot in recent years, it has become completely different than before. Today it is an institution with a modern scientific, educational and social environment. Its task is to train personnel for increasingly complex economies, to form new knowledge for further technological progress, to carry out research that can develop both basic knowledge and applied innovations. I am sure that the consolidation of our efforts will allow us to bring the higher school of Africa to a new, higher level," Litvinenko summed up.
Minister of Higher Education, Development, Science and Technology of Zimbabwe Amon Murvira called the basis of the development strategy of any state the desire to meet the needs of its citizens. First of all, in nutrition, clothing and safety. And higher education, of course, should be aimed at solving these problems. However, the colonial system of government prevents the implementation of a seemingly quite logical postulate.
"I agree that our economy and our education system should not contribute to the prosperity of the inhabitants of those countries that have never been our friends. That is why we need new knowledge and new competencies in order to extract and use resources independently, and to do this for our own needs or for the needs of our partners, not exploiters. We support the idea of creating a community "The Core of Africa". And we assure you that we are ready to work together with our Russian colleagues to strive for a more just world order," Amon Murvira said.
Deputy Chairman of the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa Sylvia Lucas also spoke about the need for a more equitable distribution of the national treasure that lies in the bowels of the African continent. She stressed that the association of BRICS countries is making a lot of efforts to put this idea into practice, and the influence of this organization in the world is constantly growing. Thanks to the actions of the leaders of the states that are part of it, the world is developing towards multipolarity. The creation of the consortium will be another important step in this direction.
"We need to cooperate and use the new opportunities that arise when creating such collaborations. In this case, the goals can be achieved much faster. South African universities will definitely join the consortium, which has every chance to turn into a strong organization and contribute to the formation of a world based on equality of cultures and peoples," said Sylvia Lucas.
The Rector of the Admiralty University of Nigeria, Omaji Paul Omojo, recalled that the first oral agreements on the creation of a new union were reached last December, during a major international forum "Nature Management and preservation of the World Natural Heritage". The St. Petersburg Mining University also acted as its organizer. He called positive the fact that after only six months the idea has acquired much more specific features.
"This is the dawn of a new era rising over Africa. Independent work with our own resources, without any doubt, will allow us to eliminate poverty and political instability, improve the quality of life of every African. Dreams will turn into reality. But to do this, we need to create a more perfect system of higher education. Her absence leads us to the collapse of hopes, we cannot allow this," said Omaji Paul Omojo.
The signing ceremony was also attended by Samuel James Tawaiya, Mayor of the Gorle Clotti Municipal Assembly of Accra (the capital of Ghana), Paul Chisale, Vice-Chancellor of the Copperbelt University of Zambia, Member of the Parliament of Namibia, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources Tweya Chekero, Vice-President of the Association of Geologists of Mali Lee Hadis.
In addition to delegates from Africa, the meeting was also attended by representatives of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, the Federation Council, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Government of St. Petersburg, the Council of Rectors of the Universities of the city and the region. In particular, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Konstantin Mogilevsky, Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation for Scientific and Educational Policy Yulia Linskaya, Chairman of the Committee on Science and Higher Education of the Administration of St. Petersburg Andrey Maksimov.
It should be noted that the idea of creating a coordinating body in the field of training highly qualified personnel for the mineral resources sector of Africa, taking into account the experience of Russia as a reliable and honest partner, was supported by President Vladimir Putin. It was discussed with the leaders of African states during the visit of the Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko to the continent in 2022 and has already been reflected in a number of specific joint projects.
