Russia will continue to contribute to strengthening the sovereignty and security of African countries across all dimensions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated in a video message during the opening ceremony of the III International Youth Forum "Russia - Africa: What's Next?".
"We will continue to actively contribute to building the human resource potential of African countries, including by increasing the number of scholarships, establishing branches of Russian universities and schools on the continent, and developing a network of educational centers," Lavrov said.
Lavrov emphasized that establishing a long-term strategic partnership with African states is one of Russia's top priorities, as outlined in the updated Foreign Policy Concept approved by President Vladimir Putin on March 31 of last year. "We view the African continent as a significant world-class center in the emerging multipolar architecture of the world order," he added.
"We are pleased to see that in recent years, our African friends have made significant progress in national development, largely due to the active involvement of young people in political, economic, and humanitarian processes," Lavrov concluded.
The III International Youth Forum "Russia - Africa: What's Next?" was organized by the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, with TASS serving as the information partner.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS