Egyptian President Abdelfattah Al-Sisi on Friday urged strengthening the Russian-African strategic partnership in all fields, particularly the economic one.
He said the accelerated developments worldwide had spillover on Africa and required helping Africa voice reach the international forums, according to a press release from the Egyptian Presidency.
President Al-Sisi was addressing to the Second Russia-Africa Summit – Economic and Humanitarian Forum, held in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chairperson of the African Union (AU) and President of the Union of Comoros Azali Assoumani as well as several African heads of state and government.
Noting that a more influential African voice is necessary for striking a balance in global affairs, he said Egypt is looking forward to meeting the African demands related to the G-20 and the reforms of the international financing institutions with the support of the Russian partner. The Second Russia-Africa Summit coincides with highly complicated global conditions, coupled with high degree of polarization and tensions which tamper with the fundamentals of the modern world order, President Al-Sisi cautioned.
He added that the African countries face a lot of formidable challenges which hamper their ability to continue the development march, and put in peril their security and the rights of the coming generations.
He highlighted the need of finding urgent solutions to the food crisis in Africa and innovative financing tools for the agricultural sector through providing the African countries with affordable fertilizers.
In this context, President Al-Sisi expressed hope for reaching a compromise to revive the Russian-Ukrainian grain deal and put an end to the soaring prices of grains, taking in stock the interests of all parties.
The first Russia-Africa Summit, held on October 23-24, 2019, under the joint patronage of President Putin and President Al-Sisi during Egypt’s presidency of the AU, laid the groundwork for the Russian-African partnership.
Source: Kuwait News Agency
