Vladimir Putin revives the words of Thomas Sankras at the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow "We cannot repay a debt because first, if we do not pay, our creditors will not die. But if we pay, we are the ones who will die," Sankara declared to the OAU in July 1987. These words resonated with a certain force during the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow. Citing the father of the Burkinabe revolution, the Russian president not only paid tribute to a key figure of pan-Africanism, but also reignited the crucial debate on financial neo-colonialism and the continent's economic sovereignty. Subscribe to Sputnik Africa | X.