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Press statements by President of Russia and Chairperson of the African Union

Following the second Russia-Africa Summit Vladimir Putin and Chairperson of the African Union and President of the Union of the Comoros Azali Assoumani made statements for the media.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Azali Assoumani, Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to say that I am pleased that the main events of the official programme of the second Russia-Africa Summit have taken place in a constructive and friendly atmosphere and produced tangible results.

This also applies to the Economic and Humanitarian Forum, sessions of the summit and a special meeting with the heads of African regional organisations. Tonight, we will also discuss the situation around Ukraine with interested African countries.

We had many bilateral contacts with African leaders. We have planned meetings with all heads of state that are present in St Petersburg.

Of course, we are happy that the delegations of the overwhelming majority of African countries and the heads of all leading integration structures of Africa are taking part in the summit.

Representatives of African states displayed political will and demonstrated their independence and interest in developing cooperation with our country. We appreciate this and are convinced in the successful future of Russia-Africa relations. They rest on the traditions of time-tested friendship, and historical experience of multifaceted productive interaction dating back to the early period in the process of African states’ formation.

The main thing is that the summit has again confirmed the firm resolve of both Russia and Africa to continue developing mutually beneficial partnership and seeking its new forms and areas.

Indicatively, following the work, the participants adopted a solid package of joint documents. First, I will mention the St Petersburg Declaration that was approved by the leaders. It formalises strategic areas for the development of Russia’s cooperation with African countries in long-term perspective. All our states confirmed their commitment to the formation of a fair and democratic multipolar world order based on the universally recognised principles of international law and the UN Charter. They expressed their joint resolve to counter neocolonialism, the practice of using illegitimate sanctions and attempts to undermine traditional moral values.

The Sochi agreement has been confirmed – to hold Russia-Africa summits every three years.

Source: kremlin.ru
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“We highly value the results of our joint work at the summit. I am sure the achieved results are creating a good foundation for further deepening the Russia-Africa partnership in the interests of our nations’ prosperity and wellbeing.”

President of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Putin

The Russia–Africa Summit, which is taking place in Sochi on 23–24 October 2019, encapsulates the historically friendly relations between the African continent and the Russian Federation. This Summit carries great significance as it is the first of its kind to emerge during a period of major global and international transformations. In response to the aspirations of the people it is representing, the Summit intends to build a comprehensive framework for expanding Russian–African relations into broader horizons of joint cooperation across different fields.

The African nations and Russia share a common understanding of international relations, based on the principles of respect for the rule of international law, equality, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. Both sides affirm their commitment to support multilateral actions to oppose new international threats, be they terrorism and extremism in all their forms, or declining growth rates. The two sides share a firm conviction regarding the importance of developing trade flows and supporting mutual investment in such a way as to ensure security, peace and development for the African and Russian people.

African countries have huge potential and opportunities that will allow them, once efforts to streamline their economies have been achieved, to emerge as real global players. In recent years, the nations of this continent have achieved major successes spanning the political, economic, social and administrative spheres. Africa has flourished in terms of growth over the past decade, reaching a continent-wide growth rate of 3.55% in 2018.

The African Union Summit, which was held in Niger in July 2019, continued the efforts of the African countries and saw the African Continental Free Trade Agreement come into force, along with its operational instruments. The agreement is one of the key objectives of Agenda 2063, an African development strategy that has been created to address the African people’s desire for prosperity and decent living standards.

These successes are opening up wide-ranging prospects for cooperation between African countries and the Russian Federation, and confirm the determination of African governments and their people to cooperate with multiple partners in order to establish mutually beneficial relations.

With this in mind, we express our hopes that the Russia–Africa Summit will help in the establishment of constructive strategic relations, based on partnership between two sides across various fields, and in the service of fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the African people and their friends in Russia.

President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Abdelfattah ALSISI