Russia, Africa stand to gain from closer ties

Russia is an old and trusted friend of Africa

- SERGEY LAVROV

CAIRO will soon host an important political event: heads and officials of the foreign ministries of Russia and the African countries will gather in the hospitable capital of Egypt to assess the state of Russian—African relations and set out the ways of their development.

For the first time, the ministerial conference of the Russia—Africa Partnership Forum, which is the official name of our meeting, will take place on the continent. We are glad that a year ago, during the first such conference in the Russian city of Sochi, our partners responded to the proposal to host the ministerial conference in 2025.

Let me recall that the Partnership Forum was established back in 2019. We have already successfully held two Russian-African summits ~ in Sochi in 2019 and in St. Petersburg - another city in Russia - in 2023. Sectoral meetings on specific areas of cooperation are held regularly.

The work of the Forum is crucial for promoting the full range of Russian-African relations; it organically complements and enriches Russia's relations with the African countries which are developing dynamically on a bilateral basis as well.

It is important for us that Africa seeks to speak with a common voice in the international arena. Russian diplomacy will contribute to the development of Africa as an influential centre of a multipolar world. This priority is enshrined in the Concept of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation. We believe in the inalienable right of African countries to independently determine the ways and models of their development and to choose international partners.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin once said: “We have virtually no disagreements with any African countries and the level of trust and mutual affinity is high, mainly because our relations with Africa have never been tarnished. We have never been involved in the exploitation of African peoples.”