By Lawal Sale
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin says Africa plays an increasingly important role in addressing the most important issues on the international agenda.
President Putin stated this in his welcome message to the participants at the First Ministerial Conference of Russia-Africa Partnership Forum which was was officially declared opened today, Sunday, November 11, 2024.
The conference is holding in Sochi, Russia.
President Putin said the conference is being held in accordance with the decision taken at the Russia-Africa summit held last year in St. Peterburgh.
He noted that African countries have been enjoying growing authority on the world stage,
pursuing constructive, peaceful foreign policies.
Putin said, “Russia, for its part, attaches particular importance to strengthening traditionally friendly relations with African partners.
“We are united by the desire to build a fair multipolar world order based on genuine equality and the supremacy of international law, free from any forms of discrimination, dictate and sanctions pressure.”
President Putin emphasized that cooperation between the Russian Federation and African States is becoming increasingly rich and multifaceted – this is fully confirmed by the substantive program of the ministerial conference.
He said that during the two-day meeting, the heads of foreign policy departments will not only consider various aspects of the implementation of the Partnership Forum Action Plan for 2023-2026, but also outline new, promising areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.
President Putin pledged that Russia will continue to provide all possible assistance to African friends in a wide range of areas – in ensuring sustainable development, in the fight against terrorism and extremism, in countering epidemic diseases, in solving the food problem and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters.
In conclusion, he said he believes the work of the conference will be successful and fruitful, and that the agreements reached will serve to further expand the entire range of Russian-African relations – for the benefit of our countries and people.(vitalnewsngr.com)
