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The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs discusses preparations for the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation held a meeting between Mikhail Bogdanov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa, and the heads of African diplomatic missions in Moscow. The meeting addressed preparations for the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum, which will take place on 9–10 November 2024 in the Sirius Federal Territory, as per the decisions reached at the Second Russia–Africa Summit.

“Preparations for the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum are in the final stages, with African representatives actively involved. This event will continue the close dialogue established earlier at the BRICS Summit in Kazan. The business programme will include around 20 panel sessions and thematic events focusing on perspectives for Russia–Africa cooperation in the areas of security, economics, and humanitarian engagement. I am confident that this forthcoming event will bring new momentum to Russian–African relations within the existing dialogue framework and reveal new growth opportunities for cooperation between Russia and African nations,” stated Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation, Executive Secretary of the Organizing Committee for Russia–Africa format events.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Roscongress Foundation briefed African diplomats on the logistical, organizational, and protocol aspects of the event, followed by an exchange of views on the substantive content of the upcoming Conference. Special emphasis was placed on the development of the event’s business programme.

Tatiana Dovgalenko, Ambassador at Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Head of the Secretariat of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum, provided an overview of the programme and thematic scope of the Conference. Georgy Kuznetsov, Deputy Director of the State Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, discussed protocol considerations and hospitality formats for the Conference. Alexandra Ogneva, Deputy CEO, Head of International and Regional Cooperation Directorate of the Roscongress Foundation, shared information regarding accreditation, accommodation, transportation, and other services for official delegations and business programme participants. Maxim Burlyay, Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Press of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained the key elements of organizing media work at the event. Additionally, particular attention during the meeting was given to the preparation of the specialized sessions within the Russia–Africa Ministerial Conference.

The First Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum will build on the outcomes of the Second Russia–Africa Summit, bringing together foreign ministers from Russia, African nations, the African Union Commission, and executive bodies of regional integration organizations. Representatives from financial institutions, Russian and African businesses, civil society, academia, and the media have also been invited to participate in the Conference’s business programme. The event will be organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

Further details and the programme structure can be accessed on the official website.

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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