March 8, 2008 marked the 90th anniversary of the birth of the famous Russian scientist, diplomat and public figure, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vasily Grigoryevich Solodovnikov. On this occasion, the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which he headed for 12 years, held a solemn meeting of the Academic Council dedicated to the anniversary of the scientist on March 12, 2008.

As V. G. Solodovnikov writes in his memoirs, "my biography is a typical biography of millions of Soviet people, the same age as the Great October: intellectuals from workers and peasants in the first generation" (Creative path to African Studies and Diplomacy, Moscow, 2000). Not everyone was able to take advantage of the new opportunities as fully and comprehensively as V. G. Solodovnikov. He went through an unusual life path and made an invaluable contribution to the development of Russian African studies.

The welcome address to the jubilee of the Institute of Africa read: "Anyone who is familiar with your biography cannot hide their surprise and admiration. What you managed to accomplish during your well-lived years would be enough for several lifetimes. You are from the breed, to paraphrase the poet, "chicks of the Lomonosov nest", a real Russian nugget, who managed to turn from a simple village boy into a famous scientist and diplomat."

Biography of V. G. Solodovnikov was in tune with the pulse of the country, the events of the turbulent XX century. It reflected wars and revolutions, five-year plans, the victory over fascism, the elimination of colonialism, the confrontation between East and West, and the collapse of the apartheid system. All these historical milestones are somehow reflected in the scientific works of the hero of the day: ten monographs and more than three hundred articles, reports, reviews published in domestic and foreign periodicals. Among them are such works as " Export of Capital "(1957), "Neocolonialism: Theory and Practice" (1966), " Africa chooses the Path. Socio-economic problems and Prospects "(1970), " Africa: the Struggle for Independence "(1970)," Some questions of theory and practice of the non-capitalist path of development "(1971), " Problems of Modern Africa. Articles and speeches " (1973)," Problems of national and social Liberation in South Africa "(1975)," Creative Path to African Studies and Diplomacy "(2000)," The USSR and South Africa: 1987 - 1991 " (2002).

In addition, V. G. Solodovnikov was the initiator and responsible editor of many collective works, the main ones being " International Economic Organizations "(1962)," Political Parties of Africa "(1970)," Economy of Independent African Countries "(1972)," History of the National Liberation Struggle of the peoples of Africa in Modern Times" (1978), series " Africa in the memoirs of veterans of the diplomatic service "(2000-2006). V. G. Solodovnikov, as the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Yu. S. Osipov, says in his welcoming address: "years of fruitful scientific research on the most important areas and trends in the development of Russian-African relations..., a great contribution to the study of problems that are relevant today both for Russian society and for the entire world community - the development and prospects of the national social liberation of South Africa, Russia's participation in UN peacekeeping operations in Africa, the impact of globalization on the structure and dynamics of Russian-African relations". These words are followed by decades of hard work of a talented scientist and organizer of science at the Institute of Economics (1949-1956), IMEMO (1956 - 1961; 1983 - 1993), Institute of Africa (1964 - 1976; 1993 - 2007).

Under the leadership of V. G. Solodovnikov, the Institute of Africa has become a major scientific center for integrated African studies, widely recognized throughout the world. New scientific directions were developed: international relations, Soviet-African relations, political science, regional studies, the study of productive forces in African countries, etc. We managed to establish fruitful cooperation with African studies centers in Eastern Europe. Institute

he actively participated in various international forums on the problems of developing countries.

V. G. Solodovnikov helped bring the Institute's scientific research closer to the practical tasks of our state. The Institute actively collaborated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Economic Commission for Europe, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and non-governmental organizations working in Africa. His research influenced the formation of Soviet foreign policy in Africa and helped Africans better understand the goals of Soviet policy in Africa.

The hero of the day paid great attention to meetings and conversations with representatives of the African diplomatic corps in Moscow, with African delegations visiting the USSR. It is no coincidence that Africans began to call the institute "the house of Africa". V. G. Solodovnikov has made a great contribution to establishing mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of the USSR and Africa.

Along with his scientific work, V. G. Solodovnikov was active in public life. After being appointed to the post of director, he was elected president of the Soviet Association for Friendship with the Peoples of Africa, Deputy Chairman of the Soviet Committee for Solidarity of Asian and African Countries. Working in these organizations opened up additional opportunities for cooperation with African countries.

V. G. Solodovnikov had many other positions and responsibilities, which, in today's language, increased the rating of the Institute and its director. He led Soviet delegations to important international forums dozens of times, and always attached great importance to so - called people's diplomacy-establishing personal contacts between Soviet people and Africans. V. G. Solodovnikov and the Institute's staff often met informally with members of national liberation movements, political parties, and even leaders of African countries. And sometimes, through people's diplomacy, issues were resolved that for years could not be agreed on at the official level.

Paying tribute to the people's diplomacy, V. G. Solodovnikov also held high positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, he considered diplomatic work to be a continuation of scientific activity, the possibility of " introducing scientific conclusions about international relations into the practice of interstate relations." V. G. Solodovnikov explains his appointment first as Director of the Developing Countries Industrialization Division in the UN Secretariat (1961-1962), and then as Deputy Permanent Representative of the UN (1963 - 1964) with the assignment of the diplomatic rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the first class. Subsequently, he saw his work at the USSR Mission to the United Nations as a daily political and ideological struggle to accelerate the process of decolonization, to eliminate racism and racist regimes, and to create conditions for the world community to make economic and social progress in developing countries.

V. G. Solodovnikov's "second coming" to diplomacy took place in 1976-1981, when he worked as the USSR Ambassador to the Republic of Zambia. There was a lot of gossip around this appointment, but here is how V. G. Solodovnikov himself explains it in his memoirs: "It's been 12 years since I headed the Institute. During this time, the Institute has firmly established itself, gained credibility and recognition in the country and abroad, and its main direction has been determined. The Institute has gathered a strong scientific staff of Africanists. I did everything that I could do for the Institute, for the development of domestic African studies and the training of African studies personnel. Now I could think about my own personal interests, which were that I wanted to get to know Africa from the inside out, on the spot. By this time I had published several monographs and many articles on African issues, but still I didn't know the real, living Africa. I understood that you can really get to know Africa, feel its problems, only by living in Africa itself, among its people. I had many short-term trips to African countries, had many meetings with leaders and ordinary people in Africa, but I wanted to check on the spot, see how adequately Soviet Africanists assessed the situation in Africa and how their recommendations for getting the peoples of Africa out of backwardness corresponded to the existing conditions."

V. G. Solodovnikov was appointed Ambassador to Zambia, one of the key countries in Southern Africa, not by chance. The success of their struggle for liberation largely depended on the position of Zambia and its leadership. Therefore, it was especially important for our country to have a competent, experienced person who was ready to make bold and extraordinary decisions as an ambassador there. Candida-

V. G. Solodovnikov's tour fully met these requirements. Arriving in Lusaka, he immediately became embroiled in a sharp and complex diplomatic, political, information and propaganda struggle with the USSR's Cold War opponents, primarily with the United States, Great Britain, and the white minority regimes in South Africa and Rhodesia.

Under his leadership, direct contacts were developed with the leaders of the national liberation movements of these countries, which, after they came to power, had a positive impact on our relations with these countries at the state level. Unfortunately, the potential for cooperation with the countries of Southern Africa developed with the direct participation of Vladimir Solodovnikov was largely lost after the collapse of the USSR and a significant reorientation of Russia's foreign policy priorities.

For his selfless work in responsible scientific and diplomatic posts, V. G. Solodovnikov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of Merit for the Fatherland of the 4th degree,the Order of the Companions of Oliver Tambo of South Africa, and other awards.

At the solemn meeting of the Academic Council of the Institute of Africa, there was an atmosphere of goodwill, respect and love for the hero of the occasion, recognition of his indisputable merits in the theory and practice of research in Africa and Russian-African relations. The meeting was attended, in addition to the staff of the Institute of Africa, colleagues and friends of the hero of the day from other institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences, universities, colleagues in diplomatic and public work.

The meeting was opened by the Director of the Institute of Africa, Corresponding Member. RAS A. M. Vasiliev. He warmly congratulated V. G. Solodovnikov, described his contribution to the development of problems of socio-economic development of the liberated countries, to domestic African studies and the establishment of cooperation between the peoples of our country and the states of Africa. Congratulations were read out to the hero of the day from the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Yu. S. Osipov and the Chief Scientific Secretary of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician V. V. Kostyuk, from the Chairman of the Council of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, V. Yu. Khomich, the Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician A.D. Nekipelov, with whom Vasily Grigoryevich never lost touch. M. N. Amvrosova, Scientific Secretary of the Institute of Africa, read out the welcome address of the Institute's staff.

In his brief speech, the hero of the day spoke about the historical events of the XX century, which he witnessed or participated in. Of particular interest were his memories of meetings and conversations with prominent political figures: Ho Chi Minh, Che Guevara, Indira Gandhi, Yasser Arafat, Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, and many leaders of national liberation movements.

The hero of the day was warmly congratulated and highly appreciated by various aspects of his many-sided and fruitful work. A. Gromyko, who succeeded V. G. Solodovnikov as Director of the Institute of Africa in 1976, Deputy Director of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Editor-in-Chief of the magazine "Asia and Africa Today" O. M. Teterin, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Veterans of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation V. S. Bedko, who presented him with a certificate of honor from the Presidium of the Council of Veterans of Labor and War of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Deputy Chairman of the Directors of the ISAA at Moscow State University L. V. Geveling, Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary A. Y. Urnov and A. M. Glukhov, research associates of the Institute L. L. Fituni, I. N. Kuklina and Z. I. Tokareva. They noted the outstanding personal qualities of Vasily Grigoryevich, his warmth and cordiality towards people regardless of their rank and position, decency and loyalty - whether it concerned a dearly loved family or once chosen, deeply realized and suffered ideals, to which, without being a dogmatist, V. G. Solodovnikov remains true all his life.

Still, our hero of the day was wrong about one thing. In a book of memoirs prepared for his 80th birthday, he wrote: "The 80th anniversary of his birth is obviously the most extreme age limit when a person can still sum up his life's journey, tell about the time in which he lived and worked, tell about the people he met, evaluate what he has done and listen to the assessment of his actions from like-minded colleagues and from his opponents." Life has shown that he underestimated his capabilities. Ten years have passed, but even today V. G. Solodovnikov continues to work, share his knowledge and rich experience with a new generation of scientists. I would like to believe that the" African star " of Russian Vasily Solodovnikov will not set for a long time and he will remain one of the leaders of domestic African studies.

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