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Russia–Africa Economic Forum to Discuss Nuclear Technology for African Development

The ‘Contribution of Nuclear Technologies in the Development of Africa’ panel discussion looks to play a key role in the Creating Joint Projects track of the business programme. Session participants, including Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM Alexey Likhachev, Head of the Zambia Atomic Energy Agency Roland Msiska, and Minister of Innovation and Technology of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Getahun Mekuria Kuma along with other representatives of related ministries and corporations, will discuss nuclear technology and its capability and role in the development of the continent.

Rapid population growth and an escalating energy crisis hamper growth in Africa. The absence of quality transport infrastructure and proper access to health services along with poor education and food security levels keep Africa from improving quality of life. A large-scale action plan based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals is needed to resolve these problems. Nuclear technology, with its predictable final product price, guaranteed supply of reliable energy, and absence of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the energy production process, could potentially drive socio-economic development and serve as a comprehensive solution to the continent’s systemic woes.

“Rosatom has been active in Africa for some time now. The creation and development of the nuclear industry on the African continent is capable not only of resolving the energy crisis but also of changing the standard of living, providing full access to public health services, and increasing education and food security levels. We see great interest on the part of African countries in creating new ties aimed at further technological development. And we are definitely ready to discuss all possible options for collaboration on the continent. I’m sure that Russian-African nuclear projects have a great future”, Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM Alexey Likhachev said.

The Russia–Africa Economic Forum and Summit will be held in Sochi on 23–24 October 2019. The events will be the largest of their kind in the history of Russian-African relations and are being organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

An expanded version of the Russia-Africa Economic Forum programme can be found here.

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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