Personal web office

Second Summit
Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum

News

Business Programme Architecture Released for Russia–Africa Economic Forum

The first Russia–Africa Economic Forum will be held in conjunction with the Russia–Africa Summit in Sochi on 23–24 October 2019. The plenary session will centre around the main theme of the Forum – ‘Uncovering the Potential for Cooperation’. Participants will discuss key areas for cooperation based on three thematic pillars: ‘Forging Economic Ties’, ‘Creating Joint Projects’, and ‘Collaborating in the Humanitarian and Social Sector’.

“It’s difficult to overstate the importance of Russia and the countries of Africa developing cooperation. Africa is not only a promising sales market, but also a strategically important partner in scientific and technical cooperation and the development of oil and gas projects, agribusiness, and the Russian Industrial Zone. The Russia–Africa Forum’s programme covers the entire range of pressing issues in cooperation and growth points. I am certain that the Forum will become a meaningful and high-profile platform and will mark the beginning of a new stage in Russian-African cooperation”, Adviser to the Russian President and Executive Secretary of the Organizing Committee Anton Kobyakov said.

The Forum’s business sessions will focus on limitations and opportunities for doing business in Africa, security risks, prospects for economic development and digital transformation, cooperation in nuclear technologies, and ways to improve the quality of life on the continent. The participants will also discuss joint projects in the oil and gas industry and transport infrastructure as well as collaboration between Russian and African banks. One of the central themes will be the Russian Industrial Zone that is set to operate in Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone. A youth programme will make up a separate pillar of the Forum.

More than 3,000 representatives of African business as well as CEOs of Russian companies and leading international experts will take part in the discussions held as part of the Russia–Africa Forum’s business programme. A large number of cooperation agreements are to be signed in various sectors. The Forum will help to unlock the potential of the current economic agenda and contribute to the further development of mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and the African continent.

The architecture of the Russia–Africa Economic Forum programme can be found here.

All news
Russia and Africa Expanding Cooperation
Roscongress Foundation Awarded Silver Archer Grand Prix
Roscongress Foundation and the African Energy Chamber signed a Cooperation Agreement
TASS opens photo exhibition dedicated to Russia-Africa Summit
The EAEU Member States’ Business Mission to African Countries Will Take Place with Support from Russia’s Leading Industry Organizations
All news

“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