The President said, in particular, in his message:
“Russia highly values the constructive role the African countries play in resolving current regional and global issues. We support the African Union’s efforts to speed up mutually advantageous integration processes, ensure the continent’s steady socioeconomic development and settle local conflicts.
The Russian Federation’s relations with our African partners are developing positively. We have established a substantial political dialogue and work actively together in international affairs. Russia’s decision to write off much of African countries’ debt and the preferential conditions we offer the majority of Africa’s traditional export goods open up new possibilities for trade, economic and investment cooperation. The Russian Government is increasing the number of scholarships it offers to students from Africa. Russian specialists are helping to train African peacekeepers.
I want to reaffirm our desire to continue to strengthen Russian-African ties and contacts for the good of our countries’ peoples and in the interest of regional security and stability.”