Nov 10, 2024 Story by: Editor
SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Russia launched the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum on Saturday in Sochi, aiming to strengthen its connections with African nations and counter the perception of isolation due to Western sanctions.
This conference builds on last year’s Russia-Africa summit, where President Vladimir Putin worked to foster political and business partnerships with African leaders. The two-day event includes government and business leaders from both Russia and Africa, and Anton Kobyakov, an adviser to Putin, noted that this format will be held regularly going forward.
According to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the conference “dashed dirty hopes” regarding Russia’s isolation. She added that numerous bilateral meetings were occurring between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and African representatives, underscoring the “multipolarity” represented by the forum.
Lavrov is scheduled to address the plenary session on Sunday. Source: AP News
