Second Summit
Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum

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The first Russia–Africa roundtable held at the African Energy Week in Cape Town

The Russia–Africa roundtable was organized for the first time during the African Energy Week in Cape Town, which runs until 8 November. The Roscongress Foundation is a strategic partner of AEW 2024. The roundtable was attended by Roman Marshavin, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Khandoga, Head of International Business Department of PJSC Gazprom, and representatives of a number of Russian and African companies. The panel discussion was moderated by NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Roman Marshavin, who is leading the Russian delegation in Cape Town, said that Russia is interested in working closely with African countries, including cooperation in the energy sector. ‘Russia has vast experience in creating energy facilities. In Africa we are ready to offer projects primarily in the gas industry, nuclear power and hydropower. In addition to the oil and gas sector, the Ministry of Energy sees promising joint projects in the field of renewable energy, modernization and construction of grid infrastructure, as well as cooperation in the field of digital technologies in the fuel and energy sector,’ Roman Marshavin said.

One of such projects, which is already underway, was presented by Dmitry Khandoga, Head of International Business Department of PJSC Gazprom. This is a pilot project for the supply of two mobile vehicle gas fueling trucks to Tanzania. They are designed for fueling various vehicles with compressed natural gas as well as for its transportation. This will increase the number of daily fueling operations in the Tanzanian NGV market.

In addition, these machines can be used for autonomous gasification of industrial and domestic consumers. ‘The Global South in general and the African continent in particular will be a new growth point for natural gas consumption. Population growth and urbanization dictate the need for access to a reliable and environmentally friendly energy source, e.g. natural gas. Gazprom's experience in developing the domestic gas market, our competences, technologies and equipment may be in demand for solving energy supply tasks in African countries,’ said Dmitry Khandoga, Head of Gazprom's International Business Department. ‘The successful work with our partners in Tanzania to solve the problem of gas motor fuel supply to transport can serve as a model of business cooperation in the interests of the entire society,’ he added.

After the end of the event, Alexander Stuglev, Chairman and CEO of the Roscongress Foundation, emphasized that the roundtable participants noted the importance of holding such a session next year as well. ‘Face-to-face dialogue between energy industry specialists and companies from African countries is very important, it shows mutual keen interest in joint work. The roundtable held on the platform of the African Energy Week demonstrated this. We welcome our African partners to the congress and exhibition venues of the Roscongress Foundation in Russia and other countries, where there is always room for dialogue between Russia and Africa. Cooperation with the countries of the African continent is now one of our common priorities,’ said Alexander Stuglev.

The Russia–Africa roundtable continued the dialogue between Russia and African countries, whose prospects for cooperation were actively discussed at the BRICS Summit held in Kazan. The dialogue between Russia and African countries will continue during the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum, which will be held on 9–10 November 2024 at the federal territory of Sirius. The event will bring together the heads of foreign ministries of the Russian Federation and the continent's states, the African Union Commission, as well as the executive bodies of regional integration associations.

The motto of the African Energy Week is ‘Invest in African Energies’. The Forum is attended by officials from 22 African countries, over 1,000 oil and gas industry workers, businessmen, analysts and public figures. Russia is represented at the event by Rosatom, Gazprom and the Roscongress Foundation.

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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