ah burger never, never. and never gave shalley bill. that bitter love were like carrying that fear of the oppression off one by another. and stop are they in business of being the guns of the world? the fun. frown never unfold. gloria, a human achievement. let food on brain thought of it. the soviet union and of course played a key role in terms of the sustain, the liberation forces of south africa. the truth though, is that without the support at the time, we would have really struggled quite

a bit. they have assisted linda fidel fights in this country. education, i mean many patting li katara. when can you imagine the cold continent of friends and this is wonderful. hello and welcome to this week's african, now so from constitutional hill in johannesburg, south africa. but coming to you in the same week that this country is celebrating the anniversary of its 1st poster party elections that resulted in nelson when he clocked mandela, who once of time in this prison, being elected as south africa was 1st black president. it was monday la, who said that the sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement. let freedom rain,

but south africa is not the only african countries celebrating its freedom. this month. cynical zimbabwe and others also commemorating the occasion and all countries that achieved their independence with the help of the soviet union. april its freedom month across africa. as in this month, we celebrate the 65th anniversary of africa, freedom day, or african liberation day, in which 8th independent african nations came together in accra gonna 5 years later, more than 2 thirds of the continent was independent from mostly imperial european states. and now, 50 african countries came together in the european capital to form would later become the african union. our correspondent in this other tells us more these meeting, the organization of african unity was pounded with the initial end to in cottage. they did column a zation off, i'm going out mozambique, south africa, and how they do share the organisation place to support the waterfall. and that's

it. but the freedom fighters and remove military access to colonial nation. of course, countries to contribute so many in many directions for their as a morgan for the offer you can. why is it a did it there? one of the i do, i do our victory is another more than for another countries. when they see the african is turned in with others out of countries, envision your guys more than far as the african countries are so many leaders emerging from africa as more than and l u l. u is in each of yeah. and even now our political leaders, or so more than for other african counters, they can learn from ethiopia, to be dependent and to use in the genius knowledge,

natural power. but still now we are not using our powers, our graphical, our natural powers, but it will be more dense monies calling us today. out of guild, the physical control of european power ended in the ninety's. he just is, after independence or south africa, the end of colonization was announced that, but the wisdom, imperialism, not yet ended and continues in another form. now the system is established to have the court only out of master, but the colonized so african countries to secure for independence. they should work on re framing the system. that benefits on besought melissa out of t a b sub bob. since the founding of the african union have african countries thrown off the yoke of west and colonialism, is there a lot to celebrate or a long journey still to embark upon?

human rights lawyer, people men to less ways in on the question? advocate, superman tula. thank you. so much for joining us here on africa. now. this week we're celebrating africa freedom months. but of course, as many questions related to that, if the founding fathers had to assess the progress that has been made in those decades, do you think they would be satisfied with the way the continent has moved forward? it has been difficult for the continent because it appears that the freedom came with a high price and that price was too thick. suffice was to reach consensus with the former colonial masters. and also us to look at was freedom free and also us independence or freedom. so at, in the founding fathers of de wanted about d, economic and cultural freedoms. because political freedom was attained in the 60s. but in the 21st century, i think they will have set how 5 we moved on. you could only can cause our freedoms

. and how would you answer that question? how far have we moved in terms of cultural and economic freedom with not moved to trial? we are still limping, where there are challenges come from an academic space coming from illegal and human plays space. i've seen that a meaningful dumps have been trampled as i've picked up that culturally, we are still westernized. a european iced advised, you know, so you funded because the issue is to allow all cultures to be to, to be harmonized or to live in the same space, but for the continent to do. an audit is also interesting when we talk of been to years of the africa peer review. now the governance for us to also manage our freedom is it says, delivery issues. you can't really blame the colonial powers. i mean, we're talking about countries that have been independent for decades here. so why was that shift not made? you know, if you've gotten with me, the economy contains the debate of the dollar. no economy,

because many of them countries were not independent. hence, you find that the independence into freedom, you still have to use your former colonial masters carrying c a u. o is that there's still a french colonial impact under. there is still a french language that still exists in our even traveling documents. look at your own sort of campus, but that a public to suit. so it shows you that we are not yet fully. they even manage our movement. so the issue of blame or is not to blame for the sake of shifting bay game, is to say a said that the colonial mothers have done at us in a continent. actually this week at our invest, we had a session. we were talking about a gadhafi mama got us and is that tim wasn't galaxy asked, do you end of apparitions for africa? i don't know where they knew that figure how much he said i was not many african countries. they don't have. what did you ask?

it will do at this point out to say we offend 7 points of into the learn for a policy, for what has happened. so you can see pull out the issue of blaming. the coronel must us and de west. come from the issue of seeing a, cept and acknowledge what to have done. do you think that racism in south africa in 2001, he doesn't debate as bought a caribbean block? am i, i think what you see now, we see a return of cultural artifacts in africa. and my concern is that the return of cattle at if it's, if they do this, a value on them. how to quantify people. are you saying that pre and post colonial africa is actually the same africa, slightly with truth, with the edition of their thoughts done, the pickle, linelle, africa with the kingdoms have changed, drastic i did out of all of the west minister system. and in the 60 seventy's than 90 ninety's washington consensus, elections all over africa. moving away from my japan,

the democrat. i mean from one part to state to a mile to patty democracy. and i went back to my president paula, not my christian my. my a citation of was it freedom or was it independence? part of the liberation of africa. and the reason why we've come to the point where we are, of course, has been the assistance of the soviet union in the liberation struggles. how important was the role of the soviet union? they have assisted men of the don't fight us in this country, educationally, military li couch irony because what that led also in russia, many russian young scholars. they have passion for after the visit african countries, he collect, mem was the collect history of books about africa. so one can look at how russia is also passionate about leaning about africa. and it's also important about africans to learn about russia. and if we look at the relationship today between russian

african countries, what can russia do to help liberate africa even further? i think one of the chief, the wanted things aspect that i shall, must go into. it must be cultural to promise and cultural delusion. you know, the and, and economy could have alicia and dust read the issues of trade and delicious empowerment in cation and remember that the african students and for when i was there, what have picked up. there were some students who were studying in russia and they were not studying m law. you could amuse their way into agriculture their way into energy sector. so you can see that what the russia must bring in the for hell is to train that this a hell region empower them and move out. simple enough for the, for me is to not to stay long. you know, is to empower and also share it knowledge experiences.

and that's how you can put the narrative of the image of russia in cobalt put. it is 29 years south africans from all walks of life and ages, queued for hours in the hot sun. determined not to miss this country's 1st non racial election. and like many other african countries, south africa when its independence with the assistance of the soviet union, our correspondent and south africa looks back at that historic occasion. and the role the u. s. s. are played in it. i'm coming to you straight from so where to where into hannah's back behind me is the freedom square, also known as the open, a museum, and it's dedicated to water system lou, one of south africa struggle heroes. this place tells the story off the drafting off to feed on charter in 1955. it also reminds us that assistance that to the soviet union provided to the people's liberation army of namibia and the african

national congress is military wing, uncommon to, with these was essential in helping them fight against the party government. no one has forgotten that help or least of all those who were involved. well, i joined the african national congress and the said african communist party as a student 20 year old at the time of shuffle, $960.00 the massacre. there was no possibility of changing the supposed system with revolutionary varmints without an armed struggle. so quite a number of us were sent out of the country and i was sent with a 150 other young people to the soviet union. we went, dave via the 10s, and now we had to leave the country. secretly. we arrived in the soviet union in

moscow, landed there at the beginning of 1964. and then we trained at a beautiful city on the church, near morris, the black scene. odessa just, how much of a role do you think the soviet union played with all the other liberation heroes? the soviet june, down of course, played a key role in terms of assisting the liberation forces of south africa, usually africa. but we went, the only recipients, the colonial system collapsed. the british colonies, the french, the portuguese, bel germ dutch, all the colonies from asia to latin america and in africa. the people rose up demanding the freedom that had been spoken about during the 2nd world war.

and other words, you're saying that if it wasn't for the soviet union would, would not have seen this liberation coming about. it would have taken far longer with far greater sacrifice than occurred because of the former colonial countries. and they were colonial countries, still after the war, the strike strove to cling onto the colonial positions. so the people live africa. and so on, india, china and they, they were pressing for freedom. and the way the se union was able to get support the vietnamese struggle, for instance, that made the huge difference. what do you make of rushes? my relations with the african continent. it's been very interesting. you know that the e, u m. a nato countries in the u. s. a. made a huge error in trying to force sanctions to be adopted

against russia, by africa, demonstrations against the south african government. strict apartheid policies flaring the shocking violence. sharpsville and industrial township, thousands gather outside of police, nation in protest. against new laws requiring every african to carry a pass at all times. 30 years on her own, the casseroles, adam, of all, some seamen, among those liberation heroes, was fight to bring freedom and equality to the tip of africa. with the help of this, soviet comrades will never be forgotten. thank you so much for your time that i'm of was so maybe if you can just start by telling us how you joined the on struggle and how you ended up in the soviet union. i, i left all over again. 1963 from fort hair university. i hardly finished anything there. this was a time of extreme, a political activity, i think,

where we were in france's style. when the news came, that the leadership of the african national congress had been under ground, had been arrested in livonia. it was june 11th 1963. 0, it was transfers. we flew out of france town. no to doris lamb. and before long will on our flight to moscow to the round winter there. i remember seeing these people with the greater ami jackets and so on. i. so we went for highly specialized training in guerrilla warfare who were trained by her soviet officers with participated in the 2nd world war. and just how much of a role i did to the soviet union play in the liberation of many african captains,

the soviet union provided a lot of things financial. i didn't know quite about that, but they certainly provided material support, as well as their training as i've been describing. africa always helped us, but they have very limited resources on. but they made their geographical space available to us and another diplomatic means of support. so the relationship with russia now, it is not our style and cannot be, i mean, they were always the nucleus of the soviet union, and that's where the capital e z a. but the i'm saying that the struggle changed. we no longer needed the kind of support that's the soviet union had given us, but we retained very good relations with them. let's talk about freedom. what do

you make a feed on? do you think it's something that we can so celebrates today? oh, absolutely, absolutely. the question does not married if asking m the 27th of april because the most important data on the calendar on this all african calendar is no doubt about a huge difference between what happened before 994 and what's happening. we have freedom during africa feet and we could, today's generation pays whole major to the sacrifices and the struggles that made our freedom and democracy possible move. we'll cooney our t to hattiesburg. so why did the soviet union assist african liberation movements? i met with the russian ambassador to south africa who presented the view from moscow. mister investor, to thank you so much for joining us here on africa now. this month is freedom

months. why was the soviet union even interested in being involved in africa? first of all, i should mention that we are interested in african friends. ah, russia not to speak about. soviet union has never colonized any of the people's particular for and we have always treated africans as our friends with potential friends made it. well. can you imagine the whole continent of friends and this is wonderful, why did the southern genius schuster assist insulation movements? russian societies valid through them society and in our hearts and our minds of this notion of support of the newest is a much broader one of them is translated into english, my justice, or

a lawfulness or right dismiss. it's include so many moral aspects in particular, and we feel that if there is a just cause, if we can help assist some people who are oppressed, then we should do it. how did it assist in? well it, as far as i know, it was done in many different ways now are to my mind of the aspect of supplying arms. and the training in military skills of training fighters is over emphasized. one of the, from the mental principles of socialist society was know, which is strength. and i think that most importantly, the most significant part of these systems was training of

african leaders training of leaders of the liberation of woman's in the different social sciences. in south africa, did your assistance to the african national congress, the a and c amy and a to in any way from the african community or not on the russian side. not on the russian side. but i know i can feel it to the leaving here that there is some are the initial nicholas the 2nd through or interfering this war on the boresight. formal the request was formerly declined of its are made it clear that she would not oppose. some volunteers participating in that a for him, his family dice with the king george on the 5th. where more important am he so the decline of this request to enter the war formerly. but about

$270.00 russians, la years, foot in the board ranks. and there was a hospital that will spine them completely by the russian imperial court, fully equipped, stuffed, which operated, i think in newcastle. and there was another one that was financed, $5050.00 with another lens. and tell them there was this elite school for girls stablished in born fontaine, for a border or from girls. and that was financed initially and like the domain to 17 and by the russian federal court. so manifestations of the sympathy of russians was a born or where abundance of a sympathy was, was very strong in the, in the russian public opinion in favor of wars because they were oppressed.

so in law. so the times we felt above the scene with respect to the african population, it was unjust. it wasn't supported you, and this is why many people are felt that we should interfere and that we were doing the right thing. in 1918, zimbabwe gained its independence from the united kingdom. our correspondent there keith baptist attended the celebrations, despite the feeling among many that western oppression continues until today. zim barbara celebrated is 43rd independence from its former colony of masters, britain. we are in hardy, a place that played a vital role in the liberation striker. zimbabwe obtained its independence on the 18th of april. 1981 for independence is about where think these the good site and the bedside are. independents obviously came with the benefits that we all see. our

people are free to do whatever they want compared to the freedoms that the liberation, heroes, football. but there's also some things that we cannot overlook. for instance, high unemployment rates is a bob way. ah, leslie, among young people, those are things that we would want. it would have loved the independence to come with also prosperity. because independence without prosperity, without employment in other supporting aspects of the big compromise. independence means the free door by ask negligible to take ownership of our country of our resources, but sadly 43 years after independence. we only monday to take the power, but we have not been able to change the systems. we now need to work collectively, as in bob, went to ensure that we moved up on the euro centric systems that you're still using

to date to come up with our on our for centric system that actually works for us. because the system that we adopted from the smith, the regime is abreast, we would have brought the bread. that is why sometimes the very same europeans i must be in was told to us, for special occasions where people above, where most importantly the young generation, those or did not have an expedient of the day. but it's in a circle. it's a very, very positive reflection, because on this particular day we are looking at the road that has been several that thus far, the road, it was independence was bambi, it was not a walk i longer got in but, but we're happy. and 43 years, we continue to be a hairpins records, edited every step of the by the independence of course, worked important glenda the 2nd republic or prison. there must have not got what we have been able to do to the world. and what's the particular specific follows above the true meaning of independence in when is with the prosperity in been is in

ownership. total ownership of water sources, total ownership of orlin, photo ownership. our server is what happens as to the end of this week. so we hope you enjoyed it. next week we'll see the inauguration of king charles to the british throne. we will again travel the african continent for reaction from former british colonies. as always, it's a pleasure to receive your feedback. do stay in touch until then for myself in the team could bye, ah ah, ah lisa hunter, rushin steak, little narrative. i've stayed as on the nor santini devastation american house, our sons and a for a group in the city. pavel this been okay,

so man is cooper has been helpful with we will man in the european union, the kremlin media machine restate on russia today, and split ortiz sputnik given our video agency, roughly all band on youtube, a with me a . so what we've got to do is identify the threats that we have. it's crazy even

foundation, let it be an arms race is on very dramatic development. only personally and getting to resist. i don't see how that strategy will be successful, very difficult time to sit down and talk ah, neutrality is one of the most flexible concepts and international relations that you can imagine, which is why it's so useful. but why it is so inherently difficult to grasp. so the chances we have is that countries fill it with the meaning that is useful to them and hopefully to, to all this because i did, i did score. it means i'm not taking the side of either of the completely, ah, ah, well,

i mean a ah, it ah, we see how the use militarized, and had to record base to in and into an aggressive structure stated go containing russia, like a lot of calls out the west figure thing ukraine as a slow screen to distract from the problems of the middle east and global south.

south africa designed to quit the international criminal court response according to the country president to announce to move on to the i. c. c issued an arrest warrant uprooted whole service. our some distressing images. dozens of dead power military fighters in the streets. spence following reported to the 5th battle with the.