Africa and Russia take deliberate steps to strengthen ties

The drive towards forging stronger ties between Africa and Russia has received added momentum as heads of leading news agencies from across the continent and their Russian counterparts gather in the Black Sea Resort of Sochi to discuss how the media could help promote greater understanding and cooperation.

This comes amid growing Africa-Russia trade, which hit US$20 billion, last year, from US$5 billion, in 2001.

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Russia, Mikhail Bogdanov, General Manager of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Albert Kofi Owusu, Sergey Mikhaylov, TASS (Russia) Director General, Xavier Messe A Tiati, Director General, Cameroonian News Agency, Maria Zakharova, Director of Information and Press Department of the Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Alexey Vasiliev of the Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, would lead the panel discussion.

They would focus on the role of the media in Russian-African relations and prospects for cooperation in the field of information.

How Russia’s media agenda is formed in Africa – the role and place of the world power in the modern information space of Africa, problems of data support, existing myths and stereotypes and ways to break these, would also feature prominently on Wednesday, October 23.     

The event is going be on the sidelines of the first ever Russia-Africa Economic Forum and Summit to be held on October 23-24, and co-chaired by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, who is also the Chairperson of the African Union (AU).

The forum, to be attended by many African Heads of State, representatives of government agencies and international businesses aims at boosting business partnerships, industrial collaboration, long-term projects and economic zones.

Some significant agreements in the fields of trade, economy, and investment are expected to be signed between both sides.

Participants would deliberate on Russia’s agenda in Africa and its promotion, Africa’s role in the international financial system, expanding cooperation, export and investment, as well as security challenges.

A summit of the leaders would likely examine efforts to meet the challenges and emerging threats to promote regional stability.

Source: GNA