Egyptian and Russian officials on Thursday went over the preparations for the coming Russia-Africa summit set to be held in Sochi in October and to be co-chaired by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry, Egypt’s Ambassador to Russia Ihab Nasr and Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov presented the latest preparations on the summit to African ambassadors during a Thursday meeting held at the Russian foreign ministry.
The summit, the first of its kind, will be held on 23-24 October and will include major Russian and African companies and businessmen.
Nasr cited the noticeable leap forward witnessed by Russian-African relations in the past years, highlighting the hopes of African countries for concrete outcomes from the summit.
Arrangements related to an economic forum set to be held on the sidelines of the summit were also discussed.
Participation in the event is a vital chance to boost cooperation in trade and investment between the two sides, Nasr added.
Egypt is chairing the African Union this year.
Ahram Online
Shael-Elite | Photo: Ambassador Ihab Nasr (3rd from R) at the meeting to prepare for the Africa-Russia Summit (Photo courtesy of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Sahel-Elite (Bamako-Mali) 