Members of the new global environment are not interested in someone formulating the rules of the world order; they want to create them themselves, said Fyodor Lukyanov, research director of the Valdai Discussion Club, chairman of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, and editor-in-chief of the journal Russia in Global Affairs.
"The most important aspect is that this is not even an order but a new context, the environment in which we live today," Lukyanov said at the opening of the discussion.
The Russian expert added, "We are used to the fact that the world order should set certain rules, but we see that the new players are not and will not be interested in having these rules set by anyone but themselves."
"Russian-African relations have a long history. And in this new era, thanks to this flexible and changing environment, we have an opportunity to create something completely new and creative, pursuing the main goal of each of the countries, which is to maintain a stable capacity for their development," he said.
Up to 40 Russian and African experts are taking part in the discussion. The goal of the conference is to "synchronize" positions on building a just multipolar world and fair trade relations.
The organizers hope that the results of the conference will serve as a basis for the preparation of the third Russia-Africa Summit, which will be held in Africa.