Moscow will continue to provide “all possible assistance” to African nations in various spheres, ranging from tackling epidemic diseases to fighting terrorism, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.
The leader made the remarks on Sunday in an address to participants of the inaugural ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, currently underway in the Sirius Federal Territory near the city of Sochi on the Black Sea. The event brought together more than 40 ministers from across Africa, as well as some 1,500 other participants.
Africa has been playing an increasingly important role on the world stage, Putin noted, with the countries of the continent consistently “pursuing a constructive, peaceful foreign policy.”
“They play an increasingly important role in resolving the most important issues on the international agenda,” the president said, adding that Moscow has been seeking to develop and strengthen its ties with the continent’s nations in the emerging multipolar world.
“Russia, for its part, attaches particular importance to strengthening the traditionally friendly relations with its African partners. We are united in the desire to build a fair, multipolar world order based on genuine equality and the rule of international law, free from any form of discrimination, dictate and sanctions pressure,” Putin stressed.
Russia is adamant about continuing “to provide all possible assistance to our African friends in various areas,” including “ensuring sustainable development, the fight against terrorism and extremism, countering epidemic diseases,” alleviating food issues, and tackling natural disasters, the president stated.
He expressed hopes that the ministerial conference would prove to be “successful and fruitful,” yielding assorted agreements to “further build up the entire range of Russian-African ties for the benefit of our countries and peoples.”