The first Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, which concluded on Sunday in Sochi, marked a new stage in the relationship between Moscow and African nations. A Joint Declaration was adopted, laying the foundations for increased and balanced collaboration for the years to come, with a view to strengthening exchanges and directing projects towards common objectives.
This Declaration underlines “the need” to intensify efforts towards in-depth cooperation between Russia and African countries. The participants in the Sochi meeting expressed their desire to maintain a firm commitment in this direction, with a view to preparing the third Russia-Africa Summit scheduled for 2026.
Among the representatives of the countries present at this Conference, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, joined his African and Russian counterparts to discuss five priority areas of cooperation. The security aspect particularly received attention, with participants emphasizing the importance of reassessing international peace and security structures to better respond to the root causes of conflicts, both internal and between States, on the basis of the inviolability of the principle of equal and indivisible security. They also insisted on respect for international law and the rejection of approaches that deviate from it, highlighting the risks of instability for Africa.
The Declaration also expresses deep concern over the rise of terrorist groups in parts of Africa, which threatens the stability of States. “We resolutely condemn all acts of terrorism, as crimes for which there can be no justification and affirm our commitment to the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the financing of terrorism and the granting of +shelters+ for terrorists,” the text states.
Politically, the Declaration reaffirms the commitment of the participating countries to the Sochi Conference to strengthen the central role of the United Nations in inclusive multilateralism, with the aim of promoting peace and security globally.
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Economic cooperation is also a key focus of the Declaration. The delegations expressed their desire to better represent the voice of African countries in global economic governance bodies.
The document also highlights cooperation in social areas such as education, health, culture, sports, youth and the media, while emphasizing the importance of women’s participation in political and socio-economic processes. economic, particularly in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and post-crisis development.
Finally, regarding environmental challenges, participants called for strengthening international cooperation in the face of climate change, based on the principles of common but differentiated responsibility. They also highlighted the importance of equitable access to energy technologies and climate finance for all countries.
This first Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum is in line with the Summits of Saint Petersburg (2023) and Sochi (2019), with the aim of taking stock of the commitments made and drawing up a road map. road to the future. It represents a new opportunity for African countries to strengthen their position on the international scene, relying on balanced and beneficial cooperation with Russia.
