World
Fostering Intra-African Trade: Challenges and Perspectives
By Professor Maurice Okoli
Over the past few years, African Union, the continental organization, has made intra-African trade its newest flagship and has created the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), which provides a unique and valuable platform for potential investors to support the continent’s transformation through industrialisation and export development, for businesses to access adequate trade and market information, and operate in an integrated single African market of over 1.4 billion people with a combined gross domestic product of over $3.5 trillion under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Organized by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union and the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), it was the historic third edition of the IATF, held in Cairo, Egypt from November 9-15, 2023. Under the theme The AfCFTA Marketplace, it brought together high-powered government officials, ministers, representatives of central banks, regulatory bodies and agencies, legislative authorities, commercial banks, law firms, entrepreneurs, and exporters from across Africa and beyond.
The importance of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023) was given as follows:-
(i) Promoting intra-African trade: The IATF plays a crucial role in boosting trade among African countries. Intra-African trade is generally lower compared to other regions, and the fair aims to address this by creating a conducive environment for African businesses to trade with each other.
(ii) Market Access: It provides African businesses with access to a larger market within the continent. This enables companies to expand their customer base and increase sales, ultimately contributing to economic growth.
(iii) Facilitating Networking: The fair brings together a diverse range of businesses, government officials, investors, and trade experts. This facilitates networking and partnerships that can lead to collaborations and business growth.
(iv) Showcasing African Products and Services: African businesses have the opportunity to showcase their products and services to a wider audience. This not only helps in building brand recognition but also highlights the quality and diversity of goods and services produced on the continent.
(v) Attracting Investment: The IATF attracts domestic and foreign investors interested in African markets. This can lead to increased foreign direct investment (FDI), which can fuel economic development and job creation.
In addition to establishing business-to-business and business-to-government exchange platforms for business deals and advisory services. The conference ran alongside the exhibition and featured high-profile speakers and panellists addressing topical issues relating to trade, trade finance, payments, trade facilitation, trade-enabling infrastructure, trade standards, industrialization, regional value chains and investment.
It marks one more significant step forward towards achieving economic independence which seemingly eluded the continent since 1963, the year the African organization was established and later transformed into what is popularly referred to as the African Union (AU). As stipulated by the explicit guidelines, the AU oversees and monitors the entire aspects of multifaceted development across Africa.
The AU is a sought-after platform for establishing mutually beneficial contacts and promoting bilateral relations for regional economic blocs, and dynamically developed regions such as Asia-Pacific, the United States and Canada to Latin America and Europe.
With the geopolitical changes and emerging multipolar political and economic order, Africa has become the main focal point in the world. In a practical context, Africa forms one of the current global transformations at the intersection of the past and the future. At the same time, Africa has already recognized its past of the adverse impact of resource exploitation primarily due to former leaders’ weak policies. Now it has the opportunity to make a tectonic shift and get engaged in a more equitable integrated, multipolar world.
With vigour, Africa can continue pursuing an independent continental policy to improve its economic status, and further strengthen its sovereignty with an increasing number of states in the Global South, and most probably in the East. Of course, it requires some unity in diversity in order to achieve this sustainable economic sovereignty.
The AU’s involvement in the IATF 2023 highlights its commitment to promoting economic cooperation and integration among African nations. By actively coordinating the trade fair, the AU aims to showcase Africa’s potential as a hub for intra-African trade and attract investments from both within and outside the continent.
The AU’s involvement in the IATF 2023 also signifies its recognition of the importance of regional economic integration in boosting Africa’s overall trade performance and fostering sustainable development across the continent. It can leverage its influence to facilitate discussions and negotiations on key trade, industry and tourism issues.
The vision for continental trade points to the creation of the powerful African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in January 2021. Its primary purpose is to form a single market with a common umbrella – a borderless market allowing the free movement of goods, services and people. It is attracting external partners despite the persistent challenges and stumbling roadblocks (hurdles), the most tractable being the political disunity, divergent policies, ethnic conflicts deep-seated corruption and lack of good all-inclusive governance.
That, however, high optimism still exists. Most of the African countries are rallying around the historic decision, and frequently express the determination to join platforms, to develop targeted interactions within the framework of pan-Africanism. Several summits and conferences have been held to dialogue strategic partnerships relating to aspects of the continental economy.
Acknowledging the fact that attaining economic sovereignty includes thorough discussions on prospects for investment cooperation, industrial development, adopting new scientific technologies for modernizing agriculture and, of course, tourism and recreation for the 1.4 billion population in Africa.
In search for those aforementioned above necessitates the establishment of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). In one phrase – it remotely aims at strengthening the continental industrial base and promoting the value supply chains across Africa. At this moment, it is necessary to remember that global tensions are causing unprecedented fragmentation of trade, noting an uptick in unilateral trade restrictions and a growing trend towards consolidation of relationships within the processes of reconfiguration.
Therefore, the main challenging objective is how best to guide and better equip the private industrial and economic sectors with value chain integration strategies within the context of the AfCFTA. So we have to put emphasis on exploring the priority challenges confronting businesses and to identify targeted interventions that will support these businesses on their trading journeys in the AfCFTA.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and Chairman of the IATF2023 Advisory Council, underscored the fact that intra-African trade holds the key to unlocking Africa’s true potential and fuelling economic growth, fostering industrialization and creating job opportunities for the people of the continent. “It is through this spirit of cooperation and collaboration that we will unlock the untapped potential of our continent,” he said, adding that the trade fair signified the commitment of Africa and its diaspora nations to economic integration and to their collective determination to create a prosperous future.
President Obasanjo further called on African leaders, policymakers, and representatives to foster an environment conducive to trade by eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy, harmonising regulations and investing in necessary infrastructure. IATF2023 was a stepping stone towards a future where African nations traded freely, breaking down barriers and opening doors of opportunities for all.
President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, Professor Benedict Oramah, referred to the IATF as collective efforts for the stimulation of African countries’ economies and an attempt undertaken towards holistic economic recovery backed by political support. “It offers a comprehensive solution – it is not just a trade fair, but to make intra-African trade a reality, it is necessary to review border procedures, improve transport infrastructure and make effective the airline routes. The realization of the intra-African trade requires effective and regular electricity distribution and broadband connectivity, especially in industrialized and urbanized major African cities.
Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President of the Intra-African Trade Bank at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), during special creative session held as an integral part of the third Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023) held in Cairo, Egypt, has underlined the catchwords such as multifaceted approach, encountering competitiveness, collaborating with business through co-financing agreements, promoting transparent financial practices and financial commitment as necessary factors for boasting sustainable entrepreneurial ventures.
For trade and investment, African countries could make use of factoring in order to take advantage of the opportunities for expanding the continent’s regional value chains, to tap into the opportunities available in the continent, especially in the context of intra-regional trade. Despite these numerous promising prospects, the economic sector grapples with challenges such as limited access to financing and business trademark infringements due to weak legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms, according to Kanayo Awani’s explanation.
In a related discussion, Albert M. Muchanga, Commissioner for Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission, recognized the private sector and creative sector’s rapid growth and its substantial contribution to inclusive growth and sustainable development in African economies. Muchanga, however, urged African nations to translate creative potential into tangible projects, emphasizing the importance of investing in and protecting international intellectual property rights.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared that South Africa was ready to work with other African countries to drive more balanced, equitable and fair trade relations for the benefit of the continent. “This Trade Fair is about building bridges. It is about connecting countries. It is about connecting people as well. Now Africa is taking concrete steps to write its own economic success story and this Intra-African Trade Fair is part of that story. Africa is opening up new fields of opportunity,” Ramaphosa asserted.
President Ramaphosa also wanted to see more made-in-Africa labels, as “this is critical if we are to change the distorted trade relationship that exists between African countries and the rest of the world. We can no longer have a situation where Africa exports raw materials and imports finished goods with those materials. By promoting trade in Africa, we strengthen our industrial base and produce goods for ourselves and each other.”
He stressed the need to “use the combination of the continent’s raw materials and industrial capacity, finance, services and infrastructure to produce quality finished goods to local and global markets. And about creating a market large enough to attract investors from across the world to set up their production facilities on the continent,” Ramaphosa said.
Most of the speakers noted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) must make the effort to ensure that Africa becomes a marketplace where no country is left behind, create jobs and enhance revenues for all parties. On the public sector side, governments must support local entrepreneurs to build scale, and therefore improve productivity. The implementation of initiatives most often poses difficulties and the challenges are surmountable if both public and private sectors collaborate with a common interest and a clear vision.
Looking back at its historical establishment, the AfCFTA agreement entered into force on May 30, 2019, after the treaty was ratified by 22 countries – the minimum number required by the treaty. It has the potential to generate a range of benefits through supporting trade creation, structural transformation, productive employment and poverty reduction. The AfCFTA opens up more opportunities for both local African and foreign investors from around the world. The official start of trading on January 1, 2021, signalled the commencement of Africa’s journey to market integration.
The African Union session provided a forum for exchange on what should be Africa’s immediate trade and investment priorities, to enhance Africa’s share of global trade, FDI, and ultimately the continent’s contribution to global GDP. The overall objective is to ensure that Africa strengthens its position internally from a trade and investment standpoint, which will give the continent the leverage for a strong position during its engagement at the G20. The dialogue examined how those priorities can advance intra-African trade as well as Africa’s share of global trade.
United Nations Development Programme and African Union Commission session provided a platform to drive a multi-sectoral dialogue on amplifying investment in digital infrastructure, to contribute and explore strategies that can lead to the growth of African unicorns, which in turn will create employment opportunities and drive economic growth across the continent, as well as to empower the African tech ecosystem to reach its full potential by going from 20 unicorns to 200 by 2030 and 2000 by 2063. By fostering collaboration, providing insights, and identifying actionable strategies, that discussion contributed to building a vibrant and sustainable tech ecosystem in Africa, driving economic growth, job creation, and technological innovation across the continent.
As the latest developments show, African countries have ratified the African Union protocols, making visa-free movement of people, and ultimately the introduction of the African passport that would facilitate free movement of persons in Africa. The future challenging task ahead – Africa will be able to compete globally, hence African countries must just integrate the market, something that has been evaded Africa since 1963, when forefathers hatched African Unity and established the OAU.
As a continuation of that vision, the African Union spearheads Africa’s development and integration in close collaboration with African Union member states, the regional economic communities and African citizens. The AU vision is to accelerate progress towards an integrated, prosperous and inclusive Africa, at peace with itself, playing a dynamic role in the continental and global arena, effectively driven by an accountable, efficient and responsive Commission.
The final resonating message is to leverage IATF’s combined initiatives and progress with the AfCFTA over the subsequent years. The first edition of IATF was held in Cairo under the auspices of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The Intra-African Trade Fair ended with a collective commitment to ensure economic stimulation, triggered by the business events, translates into the strengthening of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and in achieving the aspirations of the African Union Agenda 2063.
Professor Maurice Okoli is a fellow at the Institute for African Studies and the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences. He is also a fellow at the North-Eastern Federal University of Russia. He is an expert at the Roscongress Foundation and the Valdai Discussion Club.
As an academic researcher and economist with a keen interest in current geopolitical changes and the emerging world order, Maurice Okoli frequently contributes articles for publication in reputable media portals on different aspects of the interconnection between developing and developed countries, particularly in Asia, Africa and Europe. With comments and suggestions, he can be reached via email: markolconsult (at) gmail (dot) com
World
Amid Rising Geopolitical Challenges India Prioritizing Global South Under its BRICS Leadership
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
By rotational procedures and consensus adopted in Brazil in December, India has taken over the BRICS+ presidency for 2026, underscoring its highly-enriching membership and gracious opportunity to deepen the intergovernmental association as a leading geopolitical force in the Global South. Brazil took over the BRICS presidency from Russia on January 1, 2025. Following its expansion, BRICS+ currently comprises ten countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
Historically, its conceptual origins were articulated by Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov in 1998, and can be traced to series of informal forums and dialogue groups such as RIC (Russia, India, and China) and IBSA (India, Brazil, and South Africa). In addition to that significant aspect of its history, BRIC was originally a term coined by British economist Jim O’Neill, and later championed by his employer Goldman Sachs in 2001, to designate a group of emerging markets.
The bloc’s inaugural summit was held in 2009 (Yekaterinburg summit) and featured the founding countries of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. These four founding members adopted the acronym BRIC and formed an informal diplomatic club where their governments could meet annually at formal summits and coordinate multilateral policies. The following year, South Africa officially became a member after it was formally invited and supported by China, and unreservedly backed by India and Russia.
South Africa joined the organization in September 2010, which was then renamed BRICS, and attended the third summit in 2011 as a full member. The biggest expansion witnessed Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates attending the first summit as member states in 2024 in Kazan, the autonomous Republic of Tatarstan, part of the Russian Federation. Later on, Indonesia officially joined in early 2025, becoming the first Southeast Asian member. The acronym BRICS+ or BRICS Plus has been informally used to reflect new membership since 2024.
On 24 October 2024, an additional 13 countries, namely Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, were invited to participate as “partner countries”. The partner status would allow these countries to engage with and benefit from BRICS initiatives. It is still unclear whether the countries in this tier have received official membership invitations. But there is the high possibility to ascend the association as full-fledged members in future.
Persistent Multiple Differences
Now as India takes on the helm of BRICS+, experts and research analysts are showing deep interest and are discussing possibilities of multilateral cooperation, existing challenges and identifying diverse priorities, the strength and weaknesses of BRICS+. On a more negative note, multiple contradictions keep piling up among the group, including questions about the future of BRICS as anything other than an ineffective growing talk-shop market.
The biggest obstacle being political divergencies and economic development perceptions. Cultures are distinctive different among the members of this informal BRICS+ association, while all are consistently advocating for wholesale reforms, especially of the United Nations Security Council, and multinational financial institution such as the World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Some the members have been adamant to undertake internal reforms at their own state institutions.
As a founding member of BRICS, India plans to find a more suitable path for balancing its non-aligned policy, forge new directions for the development of the Global South under its BRICS+ presidency, while emphasizing trends on the global economic landscape. Arguably, India will definitely act with precision. India is most likely to be non-critical, and moreso with an insight understanding that, not antagonism, but rather ‘cooperation’ must be the underlying basic principle of a multipolar environment.
India’s Rotating BRICS Presidency
Leaders’ meetings (or leaders’ summits) are held once a year on a rotating basis. BRICS has neither a permanent seat nor secretariat. A number of ministerial meetings, for example, between foreign ministers, finance ministers, central bank governors, trade ministers and energy ministers in the country which is presiding BRICS+ association.
Speaking at the BRICS summit back in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assertively said that “reform of institutions of global governance … has been on the BRICS agenda since its inception.”
Later, prior to the Kazan summit, Prime Minister Modi explicitly stated that BRICS was never meant to be against anyone or be anti-western, and that it is only non-western. At the Kazan summit, Prime Minister Modi further stated: “We must be careful to ensure that this organization does not acquire the image of one that is trying to replace global institutions”.
At the 17th BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro on 7 July 2025, Prime Minister Modi stated that India would give a “new form” to the BRICS grouping during its presidency in 2026.
Prime Minister Modi proposed redefining BRICS as “Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability” and emphasized a people-centric approach, drawing parallels with India’s G-20 presidency where the Global South was prioritized.
Prime Minister Modi affirmed that India would advance BRICS with a focus on “humanity first” highlighting the need for joint global efforts to address common challenges such as pandemics and climate change.
Prime Minister Modi also called for urgent reform of global institutions to reflect the realities of the 21st century, emphasizing greater representation for the Global South and criticizing outdated structures like the UN Security Council and World Trade Organization.
Clarifying further and clearly BRICS+ position: In a briefing in October 2024, Russian Foreign Ministry stated, on its website, that “BRICS framework is non-confrontational and constructive” and that “it is a viable alternative to a world living by someone else’s, alien rules” and by this functional definition, it reinforces BRICS role in the world. BRICS members has the opportunity to mutually deal with any country in the world. It is not prohibited to forge amicable relations with United States and in Europe.
President Putin quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in saying that “BRICS is not anti-western but simply non-western” and even suggested that BRICS countries could be a part of the Ukraine peace process.
There are other classical analysis. For instance, Joseph Nye wrote in January 2025 that BRICS, “as a means of escaping diplomatic isolation, it is certainly useful to Russia” and that the same goes for Iran. Nevertheless, political expert Nye explained that the expansion of the BRICS could bring in more “intra-organizational rivalries” which is limiting the groups’ effectiveness. Yet, BRICS consolidation has turned the group into a potent negotiation force that now challenges Washington’s geopolitical and economic goals.
Despite frequent criticisms against Donald Trump, most of BRICS members are pursuing relations with United States, with Kremlin appointing Chief Executive Officer of Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev as the Special Representative of the Russian President for Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries. Since his appointment, returning U.S. business to Russia’s market forms the primary focus in the United States. Russian President Vladimir Putin has tasked him to promote business dialogue between the two countries, and further to negotiate for the return of U.S. business enterprises. Without much doubts, similar trends are not difficult to find as India, Ethiopia and South Africa fix eyes on identifying pragmatic prospects for economic cooperation, further to earn significant revenue from trade, and also including pathways to sustain the huge Diaspora’s financial remittances from the United States.
BRICS+ Financial Architecture
The group is dominated by China, which has the largest share of the group’s GDP, accounting to about 70% of the organization total. The financial architecture of BRICS is made of the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA). These components were signed into a treaty in 2014 and became active in 2015. The New Development Bank (NDB), formally referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is a multilateral development bank operated by the five BRICS states.
The bank’s primary focus of lending is infrastructure projects with authorized lending of up to $34 billion annually. South Africa hosts the African headquarters of the bank. The bank has a starting capital of $50 billion, with wealth increased to $100 billion over time. Records show Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa initially contributed $10 billion each to bring the total to $50 billion. As of 2020, it had 53 projects underway worth around $15 billion. By 2024 the bank had approved more than $32 billion for 96 projects. In 2021, Bangladesh, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay joined the NDB.
Future of BRICS+ in Geopolitical World
Last year, several countries began working within the BRICS framework, and many states are planning to join this association. In practical terms, BRICS needs to increase its practical impact of its partnership on the level of qualitative development, not just organizational symbolism and public rhetoric as it has been during the past few years. Time has come to avoid excessive bureaucracy and avoid any undesirable rigid attachment to an organizational structure. BRICS has to enhance its economic potential, develop appropriate mechanisms for financial, trade, and economic cooperation.
With India’s presidency in 2026, which is estimated to be a comprehensive and promising eventful year for BRICS, as India has already outlined its framework of priorities, as it did during its G20 presidency several years ago. In close-coordination with members and partner-states within the BRICS association, India has to ensure the balance of multifaceted interests, and ensure or establish mutual-trust in the multipolar world system. The goal of transforming into a full-fledged international organization must go beyond addressing current geopolitical challenges, the necessity to develop effective ways of engaging in global development to reflect multipolarity.
Since its inception, BRICS has undergone a transformation and has gone through several stages of qualitative change. The organizers are still touting the expansion as part of a plan to build a competing multipolar world order that uses Global South countries to challenge and compete against the western-dominated world order. There is obvious interest in this consensus-based platform, hundreds of economic and political areas for cooperation, and for collaborating including politics, economic development, education, and scientific research. The New Development Bank finances various projects in member countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
On January 1, 2024, five new members officially entered BRICS, namely Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia. At a BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia in October 2024, it was decided to establish a category of BRICS partner countries. The first countries to become partners were Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda and Uzbekistan. The expanded BRICS+ generates 36% of global GDP. That however, according to Economist Intelligence Unit, the collective size of the economies of BRICS+ will overtake G7 by 2045. Today, collectively, BRICS comprises more than a quarter of the global economy and nearly half the world’s population.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
For transforming cross-border payments through its deployment with Global Money Exchange, Comviva has been named Best In-Class Cross Border Payments.
The global leader in digital transformation solutions clinched this latest accolade at the IBS Intelligence Global FinTech Innovation Award 2025.
The recognition highlights how Comviva’s mobiquity Pay is helping shape a modern cross-border payment ecosystem that stretches far beyond conventional remittance services.
Deployed as a white label Wallet Platform and launched as Global Pay Oman App, it fulfils GMEC’s dual vision—positioning itself as an innovative payment service provider while digitally extending its core money transfer business.
The solution allows GMEC to offer international money transfers alongside seamless forex ordering and other services. These capabilities sit alongside a broad suite of everyday financial services, including bill and utility payments, merchant transactions, education-related payments, and other digital conveniences — all delivered through one unified experience.
“This award is a testament to Oman’s accelerating digital transformation and our commitment to reshaping how cross-border payments serve people and businesses across the Sultanate.
“By partnering with Comviva and bringing the Global Pay Oman Super App, we have moved beyond traditional remittance services to create a truly inclusive and future-ready financial ecosystem.
“This innovation is not only enhancing convenience and transparency for our customers but is also supporting Oman’s broader vision of building a digitally empowered economy,” the Managing Director at Global Money Exchange, Subromoniyan K.S, said.
Also commenting, the chief executive of Comviva, Mr Rajesh Chandiramani, said, “Cross-border payments are becoming a daily necessity, not a niche service, particularly for migrant and trade-linked economies.
“This recognition from IBS Intelligence validates our focus on building payment platforms that combine global reach with local relevance, operational resilience and a strong user experience. The deployment with Global Money Exchange Co. demonstrates how mobiquity® Pay enables financial institutions to move beyond remittances and deliver integrated digital services at scale.”
“The deployment of mobiquity Pay for GMEC showcases how scalable, API-driven digital wallet platforms can transform cross-border payments into seamless, value-rich experiences.
“By integrating remittances, bill payments, forex services, and AI-powered engagement into a unified Super App, Comviva has reimagined customer journeys and operational agility.
“This Best-in-Class Cross-border Payments award win stands as a testament to Comviva’s excellence in enabling financial institutions to compete and grow in a digitally convergent world,” the Director for Research and Digital Properties at IBS Intelligence, Nikhil Gokhale, said.
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
At the end of an extensive consultation with African foreign ministers, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, has emphasized that Moscow would advance its economic engagement across Africa, admittedly outlining obstacles delaying the prompt implementation of several initiatives set forth in Strategic Action Plan (2023-2026) approved in St. Petersburg during the Russia-Africa Summit.
The second Ministerial Conference, by the Russian Foreign Ministry with support from Roscongress Foundation and the Arab Republic of Egypt, marked an important milestone towards raising bilateral investment and economic cooperation.
In Cairo, the capital city of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Lavrov read out the final resolution script, in a full-packed conference hall, and voiced strong confidence that Moscow would achieve its strategic economic goals with Africa, with support from the African Union (AU) and other Regional Economic blocs in the subsequent years. Despite the complexities posed by the Russia-Ukraine crisis, combined with geopolitical conditions inside the African continent, Moscow however reiterated its position to take serious steps in finding pragmatic prospects for mutual cooperation and improve multifaceted relations with Africa, distinctively in the different sectors: in trade, economic and investment spheres, education and culture, humanitarian and other promising areas.
The main event was the plenary session co-chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptians Abroad Bashar Abdelathi. Welcome messages from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdelhak Sisi were read.
And broadly, the meeting participants compared notes on the most pressing issues on the international and Russian-African agendas, with a focus on the full implementation of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan for 2023-2026, approved at the second Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg in 2023.
In addition, on the sidelines of the conference, Lavrov held talks with his African counterparts, and a number of bilateral documents were signed. A thematic event was held with the participation of Russian and African relevant agencies and organizations, aimed at unlocking the potential of trilateral Russia-Egypt-Africa cooperation in trade, economic, and educational spheres.
With changing times, Africa is rapidly becoming one of the key centers of a multipolar world order. It is experiencing a second awakening. Following their long-ago political independence, African countries are increasingly insisting on respect for their sovereignty and their right to independently manage their resources and destiny. Based on these conditions, it was concluded that Moscow begins an effective and comprehensive work on preparing a new three-year Cooperation and Joint Action Plan between Russia and Africa.
Moreover, these important areas of joint practical work are already detailed in the Joint Statement, which was unanimously approved and will serve as an important guideline for future work. According to reports, the Joint Statement reflects the progress of discussions on international and regional issues, as well as matters of global significance.
Following the conference, the Joint Statement adopted reflects shared approaches to addressing challenges and a mutual commitment to strengthening multifaceted cooperation with a view to ensuring high-quality preparation for the third Russia-Africa Summit in 2026.
On December 19-20, the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum was held in Cairo, Egypt. It was held for the first time on the African continent, attended by heads and representatives of the foreign policy ministries of 52 African states and the executive bodies of eight regional integration associations.
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