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Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Holds Working Meeting on Preparations for Russia–Africa Economic Forum

Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Special Representative of the Russian President for the Middle East and African Countries Mikhail Bogdanov held a regular working meeting at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow concerning preparations for the Russia–Africa Summit and Economic Forum. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Roscongress Foundation, Russian Export Center, and the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The meeting participants discussed the details of the programme of the Russia–Africa Economic Forum, the participation of heads of state in relevant programme events and the Forum’s plenary session as well as organizational issues concerning work with Summit participants and delegates.

The Russia–Africa Summit and Economic Forum will be held 23–24 October at Sochi Olympic Park. More than 3,000 representatives of African business and high-level delegates from Russia and African countries will take part in the Economic Forum.

“Russia and countries of the African continent have great potential to develop relations not only in the political sphere. Business representatives are also maintaining a constructive dialogue. Positive trends are currently being seen in the development of trade and economic relations. On the sidelines of the Summit, we plan to sign a number of interstate and trade agreements, hold a series of business events at which we will discuss issues concerning cooperation in nuclear technology, the development of transport infrastructure, and improving the quality of life on the continent, and also cooperation in humanitarian and educational spheres”, Bogdanov said.

The architecture of the Russia–Africa Economic Forum programme is available here.

“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