Georgy Muradov, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Crimea under the President of Russia, is encouraging businesses from the south of Russia to join forces for cooperation with African countries.
"It will be easier for businesses from the south of Russia, together with Crimea, to consolidate and develop business ties with African countries. This could involve establishing regular trade and passenger ship routes to Russian Black Sea ports, particularly those in Crimea, which are closest to Africa. We need to unite to ensure that cooperation is beneficial and long-term," Muradov told TASS.
He envisions cooperation in joint purchases of large quantities of goods, such as cocoa, coffee, and nuts for confectionery.
"It's simply not profitable to transport one or two containers of coffee or cocoa to Crimea. For this, companies need to unite, and confectionery factories from the south of Russia need to collectively procure large volumes for chocolate, candy, and other confectionery production. Why is this needed? So that we can offer our consumers much cheaper and higher-quality products," Muradov noted.
Discussions may also include building docks in African ports and providing technical assistance in the search for minerals, including oil and gas, in which Crimea has expertise.
African Forum
The deputy prime minister does not rule out that to facilitate mutual settlements and deliveries, a clearing system, widely used in the external trade of the USSR, could be involved.
"Over the years, unfortunately, skills in mutual trade have been lost. State support for foreign trade is needed, the creation of mechanisms similar to the clearing systems of the Soviet Union, that is, mutual non-cash settlements for delivered products. This needs to be done collectively. The foundation, the platform for cooperation is very good," Muradov added.
According to him, these and other topics are planned to be discussed at a forum for Russian and African businessmen in one of the African countries, the idea of which is currently being discussed. The forum should be preceded by exchange visits by entrepreneurs to establish contacts and explore business conditions.
Earlier, Russia's Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, at the solemn opening of the Third International Youth Forum "Russia - Africa: What's Next?" stated that Russia is building a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership with Africa, a continent confidently strengthening its international authority.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from TASS