Guinea-Bissau’s relations with Russia will continue normally amid Western sanctions, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guinea-Bissau Carlos Pinto Pereira told Sputnik.
"Our cooperation with Russia will continue normally. It is not going to suffer with these sanctions," Pereira said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Moreover, the African country hopes to have better commercial ties with Russia, the minister added.
"We are expecting for some investments in processing some natural resources of Guinea-Bissau, but they didn't start yet," he said.
Pereira said that right now commercial relations are primarily in the fishing sector.
"So in the future, I hope that we shall have a bigger commercial relation with Russia," he said.
In May, during a visit by Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo to Moscow for a military parade, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the two countries’ bilateral relations are based on the tradition of equality. Putin also said the two countries' approaches to addressing global issues and strengthening multipolarity are similar. However, the Russian president suggested that steps should be considered to develop bilateral cooperation even further.
Overall, according to the diplomat, Guinea-Bissau’s relations with Russia are "very good," but the country aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation as much as possible, its foreign affairs minister.
"I can say our relationship with Russia is very good," Pereira said. "As you know, it's a relationship that started before our independence since the [19]60s. Russia was always a big friend of Guinea-Bissau. We are now reestablishing this old cooperation and trying to make it stronger as much as it is possible."
Pereira added that Guinea-Bissau expects an influx of private investment in the near future, including from Russian companies.
"We have many companies coming from Russia to fish in our waters," Pereira said, referring to the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Guinea-Bissau also maintains military cooperation with Russia, the diplomat said.
"As you know, our main equipment comes from Russia," Pereira said, adding that the two countries have already discussed prospects for Russia to service and maintain Guinea-Bissau's military equipment.