Russia and Africa Expanding Cooperation

The conference will include a plenary meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of all UN-recognized African states and the heads of the executive bodies of regional integration associations, bilateral meetings, as well as blocks of business and cultural programmes.

“The concept of holding a ministerial conference reflects the key cross-cutting issues that were recorded in the final documents of the second Russia–Africa Summit. In this new format of collaboration, we need to continue work to provide mutual support for the priorities of cooperation and national interests of Russia and African countries. The concept of the conference received support from our African partners,” Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Head of the Secretariat of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum Oleg Ozerov said.

The business programme will include sessions and roundtables on current issues concerning Russian-African cooperation, including humanitarian affairs and interaction in such areas as education, healthcare, and epidemiological safety.

The cultural programme will include musical, exhibition, and sightseeing events that aim to introduce people to the traditions of the peoples of Russia and African countries.

The ministerial conferences will be held on a regular basis to compare notes on the implementation of the entire range of agreements reached by Russia and African nations and to identify new priorities for cooperation. A Russia–Africa business dialogue will be held in June 2024 during the St. Petersburg Economic Forum as part of the preparatory stage for the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum.