Africa is looking forward to the Second Russia-Africa Summit as it expects the events that demonstrate the solidarity of developing countries, Obed Bapela, South Africa's deputy minister of public enterprises, told Sputnik Africa.
"Indeed we are looking forward to the programs and activities that indicate solidarity in the Global South," Bapela said answering Sputnik Africa's question about his expectations from the summit.
Discussing the motives of African delegations attending the summit, the official noted that African nations want to express gratitude to Russia for "ensuring that we achieve a world order that is equal to all."
In this vein, Bapela pointed out that Russia and South Africa are united by their membership in BRICS, to which the official attributes an important role in the development of the world.
"We just want to see the development and expansion of BRICS in the Global South that dominates so that all of us can then build the world that we and Russia are looking for, [...] a world that is developing, a world that responds to the needs of the people," he remarked.
Similarly, as Bapela noted, Africa stands in solidarity with Russia, which has made a significant contribution to the continent's liberation struggle.
Apart from that, the deputy minister expressed hope that African enterprises represented at the summit will attract investments from Russia, since "Africa is not in sanctions with Russia."
Before the summit, as the official pointed out, it was unclear at what level African nations would be represented, because of the NATO proxy war in Ukraine.
"There were issues before the summit could take place whether the African heads of states will arrive or not arrive, because of the NATO proxy war in Ukraine, which Russia had to defend itself by obviously declaring war to whoever was using Ukraine as an area where they wanted to expand themselves as NATO," Bapela explained.
However, the summit is "well-attended" with African leaders, heads of state and ministers in place, the South African official stressed.
The Second Russia-Africa Summit is being held under the motto "For Peace, Security and Development".
The first-ever summit of this kind was held in Sochi in 2019, which yielded a number of goals and objectives for furthering cooperation between Russia and African countries in such areas as politics, security, economics, science, technology, culture, and the humanitarian sphere.