African country to host Vladimir Putin Award ceremony

An international prize ‘for the Liberation of the African Peoples’ named after Russian President Vladimir Putin will be presented in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Burkina24 reported on Thursday.

The award was established by the Ivorian writer Sylvain Takoue, who is a member of ‘The Total Support for Vladimir Putin in Africa’ (SOTOVPOA) organization, along with the Ivorian Civil Society Organization (CSO) in collaboration with Burkinabe CSOs. 

Speaking at the announcement of the prize, the founder of the SOTOVPOA, pan-Africanist Mahamadi Sawadogo, said the aim of the Vladimir Putin International Award was to promote the merit of leaders involved in the struggle for the liberation of their people.

“The Vladimir Putin International Award aims to congratulate, distinguish and celebrate the real leaders who have understood the need for diversification of partnerships but also to thank President Vladimir Putin for his commitment to the liberation of Africa,” he said.

“It embodies a common commitment to the preservation of the sovereign rights of the nations that make up the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) [Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger]; a catalyst to encourage the next generation of leaders to defend the sovereignty of their state with vigor and determination,” added Sawadogo.

The Vladimir Putin International Award ceremony is scheduled to take place on December 28 at the Thomas Sankara Memorial in Ouagadougou.

Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called for the inclusion of African countries in the UN Security Council, saying their omission from the body was unfair.