A historic gathering took place in Sochi, Russia, on Saturday as the first-ever ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum convened.
Chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the two-day event brought together foreign ministers from across the African continent, alongside leaders of the African Union Commission and major continental integration associations.
The conference agenda is wide-ranging, encompassing key areas of cooperation such as security, trade, investment, industrialization, technology transfer, agriculture, mining, education, healthcare, and epidemiological safety.
A series of roundtable discussions and panel sessions will delve deeper into these topics, fostering dialogue and collaboration between Russia and African nations.
On the sidelines of the conference, Foreign Minister Lavrov held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Libya, Mali, Rwanda, Sudan, and Uganda.
In a meeting with Libyan Foreign Minister Taher al-Baour, Lavrov acknowledged the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East and expressed Russia’s commitment to contributing to peace in the region, including in Palestine, Lebanon, and Libya.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov engaged in talks with his counterparts from Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Somalia.
This ministerial conference marks a significant step forward in strengthening the Russia-Africa Partnership.
It underscores the growing importance of cooperation between the two continents and their shared commitment to addressing global challenges.
