Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has held a meeting with Guinea-Bissau Natural Resources Minister Malam Sambu, who is paying a working visit to Moscow, to discuss bilateral relations and trade and economic cooperation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
"On February 12, the Russian Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Representative of the Russian President for the Middle East and Africa, Mikhail Bogdanov, and Guinea-Bissau Natural Resources Minister Malam Sambu, who is in Moscow on a working visit," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The officials discussed the current issues impacting the further development of friendly relations between Russia and Guinea-Bissau, as well as bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
"At the same time, the intention of Moscow and Bissau to deepen political dialogue, expand trade and economic ties, including promoting investment partnerships, with an emphasis on ensuring favorable conditions for mutually beneficial cooperation, was confirmed," the statement read.
In December 2023, Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo dissolved the country's parliament amid clashes among security forces in the capital city. The Russian Embassy in Guinea-Bissau told Sputnik that the country's law enforcement forces had arrested Economy and Finance Minister Suleiman Seidi and Treasury Secretary Antonio Monteiro. However, the Guinea-Bissau National Guard released both. The confrontation later resumed, with the occasional use of small arms, but the situation in Bissau began to return to normal.
In July of last year, Embalo expressed a desire for Russian oil giant Lukoil to become more involved in the African country's oil sector. The Russian energy company has been carrying out mineral deposits exploration in Guinea-Bissau. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed to cooperation prospects in geological exploration, the development of mineral resources, infrastructure development, energy, and agriculture.