Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to address the plenary session of the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg today, engaging in discussions with African leaders. The main day of the summit events will see Putin and all 17 African leaders present in St. Petersburg delivering speeches. Delegations from a total of 49 African countries are participating in the forum and summit.
Following the plenary session, a working breakfast will be held. At the conclusion of the official events, joint documents, including the final declaration of the summit, will be adopted. These documents will outline the agreed-upon approaches to the development of Russian-African cooperation and deeper collaboration in the international arena.
Moreover, Putin will address the media to present the outcomes of the summit.
Meeting with African mission on Ukraine
In addition to the main summit events, the Russia-Africa summit will continue with a second meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of seven African countries participating in the mission for settlement in Ukraine. This meeting is scheduled for Friday evening in St. Petersburg and will be conducted in the format of a working lunch.
The previous meeting between Putin and the African peace mission took place on June 17 this year at the Konstantinovsky Palace. During that meeting, Putin emphasized that Moscow was open to negotiations with Kiev. However, he pointed out that it was the Ukrainian authorities who rejected the draft agreement that was initialled in Istanbul in March 2022. Putin even showed the document to his interlocutors during the meeting.
Bilateral contacts
On Friday, President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with several African leaders, including President Faustin-Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic (CAR), Presidents Paul Biya of Cameroon, and Macky Sall of Senegal. He will also meet with Mohamed al-Menfi, head of Libya's Presidential Council.
In the preceding days, Putin had numerous bilateral meetings, engaging with leaders from Ethiopia, Egypt, Mozambique, Burundi, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. He also met with representatives of the African Union and held a working breakfast with delegates from various regional organizations in Africa. Additionally, he had a discussion with the head of the BRICS New Development Bank.
Address to Africa
During these meetings, Putin emphasized Russia's genuine interest in further enhancing trade, investment and humanitarian relations with African countries. He expressed Russia's readiness to provide grain assistance to particularly needy African nations and replace food supplies from Ukraine. Moreover, Putin pledged to increase the quotas for African students in Russian universities and encouraged African countries to conduct more transactions using their national currencies.
The main event of the Russia-Africa summit will be Putin's address on Friday, where he will deliver a speech for the second time during the summit. In his previous address at the economic and humanitarian forum, he emphasized Russia's commitment to cooperation with Africa for peace, progress, and a prosperous future.
Prior to the summit, President Putin published a policy article titled "Russia and Africa: Joining Efforts for Peace, Progress and a Successful Future" on July 24.
Summit days
The official program of the Russia-Africa forum and summit started on Thursday and is scheduled to conclude today. However, President Putin will continue his bilateral discussions with African leaders on Saturday, July 29. His intention is to meet with each of the leaders who attended the summit in St. Petersburg.
Furthermore, some of the visiting heads of delegation will also participate as guests of honor in the Main Naval Parade, which will take place in St. Petersburg on Sunday, July 30, to commemorate Navy Day.
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Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS