Second Russia-Africa Ministerial Meeting to Be Held Next Year in Africa, Russian FM Says

The second Russia-Africa ministerial conference will take place in 2025, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Sunday at the closing ceremony of the first Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, which was held on November 9-10 in the southern Russian city of Sochi.

"None of our African colleagues have sent us invitations so far, but the conference is set to take place next year. That is why we will be waiting. We will be happy to visit our African friends anywhere," the foreign minister stated.

The participants of the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum have issued a joint statement, including on tackling international terrorism, Lavrov reported.

"I believe that we have worked very successfully. We have adopted documents, our joint statement, which contains generalized assessments of the situation in the world, generalized assessments of the state of affairs in our partnership - both in the economic, social, investment, security and counter-terrorism areas as well as on other new challenges and, of course, in the cultural, educational and humanitarian areas," he said at the closing ceremony.

The assessments are accompanied by agreements in each of the areas, creating road maps that will be promoted in the near future, including in preparation for the second conference, the top Russian diplomat added.

Globalization is Being Destroyed by West Itself Through Sanctions

The advertised globalization is being destroyed by the West itself through illegal sanctions and the abuse of the dollar, according to Lavrov.

"The very globalization that has been advertised to us for many decades as the ideal way for the world economy to function is actually being destroyed by the West itself. And the world economy is fragmenting. The reason is illegal sanctions, the abuse of the dollar," the minister noted.

Russian-African relations can serve as an example for the UN and the G20 countries, the top diplomat said.

"I am convinced that today's tone, which was present in all the speeches: The desire to seek agreements that reflect a fair balance of interests - is to some extent an example for other structures, be it the G20, be it the United Nations, where our Western colleagues do not want to work fairly, but want to dictate their will to everyone else, including through the privatized, in effect, UN Secretariat, where the West is over-represented, first of all, in those positions that determine the policy of the organization," he explained.

Sergey Lavrov also thanked African countries for taking part in the first Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all my friends who have come here, to those who represent their ministers, and I would like to ask you to convey my warmest greetings and best wishes to my friends in the capitals," the speaker concluded.

Participants in Meeting Note Similarities in Their Positions, Including in Realm of Security, Mauritanian Foreign Minister Says

All countries attending the first ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum have noted the similarity of positions on many issues, including security, Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzouk noted.

"All African countries present in Sochi today understand the importance of support for the Russian Federation and I believe that today we have noted the similarity of positions on many issues, including in the field of security," he said.

Africa is thankful to Russia for its grain supplies, which exceed 50% of its imports, the Mauritanian foreign minister emphasized.

"Cereal imports ... Russia supplies more than 50% of cereals to Africa. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for this kind of support. During the forum in St. Petersburg, [Russian President] Vladimir Putin promised that he would organize grain supplies to Africa, and we thank him for that," he pointed out.