Sochi International Airport to Serve More Than 100,000 Passengers During Russia–Africa Summit

Sochi International Airport is prepared for Russia-Africa Summit guests and official delegations.

In accordance with Decree No. 74 of the President of the Russian Federation “On the Organizing Committee for the Preparation and Holding of the Russia–Africa Summit in Russia in 2019 and other Russia–Africa Events” dated 25 February 2019, Sochi will host the Russia-Africa Summit and the Russia-Africa Economic Forum on 23–24 October 2019.

The summit and the forum will be attended by African heads of state, representatives from the Russian, African, and international business community and government agencies, representatives of African integration associations, and the heads of major regional associations and organizations.

Events are being organized by the Roscongress Foundation, and the Russia–Africa Economic Forum is being co-organized by the Russian Export Center and Afreximbank.

Sochi International Airport is prepared to serve more than 100,000 passengers on domestic and international routes during preparation for and the holding of the Russia–Africa Summit and the Russia–Africa Forum, from 21 to 26 October 2019. Furthermore, Sochi Airport plans to provide for approximately 700 take-off and landing operations with a throughput capacity of 2,500 people per hour.

Work has been carried out in Sochi International Airport together with the Roscongress Foundation to organize participant meetings and briefings. Information support for arriving participants and guests of the summit and forum is provided by volunteers who speak foreign languages. A shuttle service to city hotels and the Sirius Park of Science and Art event venue has been organized for summit and forum participants and guests.

Work has been carried out to increase the throughput capacity of border control points and customs clearance for arriving and departing client groups.

Special service halls are especially subject to increased loads during events. Business lounges for domestic and international airlines, designed to simultaneously serve more than 140 and 45 passengers, respectively, are located in the main terminal of the airport. Upon arrival and departure, passenger service will also be organized in the VIP terminal of the airport, with a capacity of 80 passengers per hour.

The Russia–Africa Summit and Economic Forum will take place on 23–24 October in Sochi at the Sirius Park of Science and Art. The events are being organized by the Roscongress Foundation, and the co-organizers of the Russia–Africa Economic Forum are Russian Export Center and Afreximbank.

“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