Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the reception on Africa Day

Colleagues and friends,

I would like to welcome you to this annual reception on Africa Day.

First, allow me to read a message from President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to the heads of state and government of the African countries:

«Ladies and gentlemen,

Please accept my heartfelt greetings on Africa Day – a holiday that has come to symbolise the victory of the people of your continent over colonialism, and their striving for freedom, peace and prosperity.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity. For decades, this representative international organisation had played a crucial role in the development of multilateral dialogue and cooperation. Its positive traditions are currently carried on by the African Union, within which all states on the continent are actively interacting. Thanks to their joint efforts, it was possible to establish mechanisms for a collective response to local crises and launch processes of regional integration in various formats. This, undoubtedly, facilitates the social and economic development of Africa, and increases its role in international affairs.

Russia has always attached special importance to strengthening relations with its African partners. The first Russia-Africa Summit, held in 2019, gave a boost to our ties in many areas.

I am sure that the second Russia-Africa Summit, which will take place in St Petersburg in July, will help us outline new plans aimed at expanding the constructive cooperation between our country and our African partners in the political, trade and economic, scientific and technological, humanitarian, and other areas.

I will be delighted to welcome Africa’s leaders to St Petersburg. I sincerely wish all of you good health and success in your state activities and wish your people peace and prosperity.

Vladimir Putin».

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is common knowledge that our country has always paid special attention to relations with Africa. We developed close ties of friendship and solidarity with its peoples during their liberation from the colonial oppression. At that time, the Soviet Union supported its African friends in their natural striving for independence. The USSR rendered young African states tangible diplomatic, economic, technical, military and other support. It signed cooperation agreements with 37 African countries.

We did not suspend our political dialogue with Africa even in the 1990s when Russia faced numerous problems itself. We developed cooperation in personnel training, helped African states maintain their defence capabilities and resolve other problems.

Additional opportunities for developing our ties are opening up with the strengthening of Russia and Africa’s positions as centres of a multi-polar world. As genuine friends, we are developing this cooperation along the lines of equality, observance of international law and non-interference in other’s internal affairs. Russia is helping the African states in good faith to strengthen sovereignty and ensure security and economic growth. This is a difference of principle between the collective West and us. The West has not outlived its superiority syndrome and is trying to perpetuate neo-colonial practices. In this context, I would like to thank our African partners that have not allowed themselves to be drawn into the anti-Russia campaign and have held a balanced position on the European security crisis.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We have achieved results in our work, which we would like to present to the public in our countries. The First Russia-Africa Summit in October 2019 in Sochi raised Russia-Africa interaction to a new level. The frequency of political contact has increased, and the inter-parliamentary dialogue has become more intensive.

I would like to make special mention of our growing trade that is objectively facilitated by the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. We are interested in promoting our joint efforts, including high-tech areas like the nuclear power industry, the peaceful exploration of space, and the introduction of modern digital technology.

We are continuously expanding our cultural and humanitarian interaction, focusing on the education of specialists from Africa. At present, about 34,000 African students are studying in Russia, with over 6,000 receiving education at the expense of the Russian Government. We expect these figures to always increase.

Along with our African friends, we are redoubling our efforts to ensure food security. Russia is fulfilling in good faith its commitments under international contracts on the exports of agro-industrial products, fertilisers, energy sources and other goods that Africa badly needs. We will continue doing this despite the obstacles that the West is creating to prevent the expansion of Russia’s lawful cooperation with the African states.

This year, St Petersburg will host the Second Russia-Africa Summit and the related Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum. I am confident that the scale and intensity of the upcoming summit meeting and relevant events will be the same as at the first summit in Sochi four years ago. We are planning to discuss promising areas and programmes for further cooperation and to prepare specific mechanisms for implementation while in Russia’s northern capital.

We believe the results of the St Petersburg Summit will provide a vector for the development of our relations in the next few years. I am convinced that our major goal should be to turn Russian-African cooperation into a strategic partnership, and of course, we will achieve this goal.

In conclusion, I would like to congratulate again all those present on this day and wish all African countries and peoples peace and prosperity. I would also like to wish health and success to you and your families and friends.