Despite pressure from the West, the next Russia-Africa summit will bring together the leaders of most African countries who have confirmed their willingness to go to Saint Petersburg at the end of July, said the head of Russian diplomacy. A grand statement on the prospects of Russian-African cooperation would be presented there.
Most African countries are represented at the highest level at the Russia-Africa summit next July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced on June 30.
“Almost all the countries have confirmed their participation. That of high level – by more than one or two tens”, or “more than half” of the African States, indicated the minister during a press briefing.
And this ” despite brazen pressure [on the part of Western countries, editor’s note] asking them every day either to give up the visit to the summit or to lower the level of presence”, underlined Mr. Lavrov.
The event will be marked by the adoption of a major declaration which is currently being prepared, he continued.
It is “a document that will define the plans for cooperation between Russia and African states for a medium-term perspective aimed at several years ahead”.
Alongside the meetings of the leaders, the economic and media forums will take place on the sidelines of the summit, Sergei Lavrov added.
