Moscow, July 26, (dpa/GNA) – Russian President Vladimir Putin, plans to expand cooperation with African countries during a two-day summit in St Petersburg, set to begin Thursday.
Putin, issued a written statement on Wednesday ahead of the second Russia-Africa summit, which aims to focus on economic and humanitarian issues. Delegates from 49 nations, have reportedly confirmed attendance.
Trade, investment, alleviating poverty and ensuring food security, will be discussed at the summit, along with climate change, Putin wrote in a letter welcoming the participants.
The Russian president is expected to be present at the opening of the summit, which begins on Thursday and runs to Friday.
“Today, Africa is increasingly asserting itself as one of the poles of the emerging multipolar world,” Putin wrote.
“And, of course, we will continue to do everything we can, to support African countries,” he said, describing them as “partners in strengthening national and cultural sovereignty, in solving regional and global issues.”
The Kremlin, earlier accused the United States, of attempting to dissuade African leaders from attending the summit.
According to the Kremlin, Putin plans to hold bilateral talks with African leaders, and continue talks on an African peace initiative launched last month, in an attempt to resolve the war in Ukraine.
Dozens of scientific, cultural and humanitarian agreements are set to be signed, and the possibility of using Russian nuclear technology to help secure energy security, will be the subject of an event during the summit. Russia is also a major supplier of arms to African countries.
A summit declaration is to be adopted. A declaration was also adopted, at the first edition of the Africa meeting in 2019 in Sochi on the Black Sea.
GNA