Russia-Africa Forum in Sochi

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Russia-Africa Forum in Sochi

23 - 24 October 2019. Sochi, Russia.The first Russia-Africa Summit and Economic Forum, co-chaired by Russia and Egypt.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi addressed the plenary session of the forum and held a working breakfast with heads of Africa’s leading regional organisations.

The two-day forum is expected to be attended by more than 3,000 representatives of African businesses. Trade, economic and investment agreements are expected to be signed between Africa and Russia. The two-day Russia-Africa summit brings together over 3,000 guests, including 44 presidents and prime ministers of African nations - among others:

President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa
President of Republic of Namibia Hage Gottfried Geingob
Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
President of the Central African Republic (CAR) Faustin-Archange Touadera
President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisekedi
President of the Republic of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari
Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan Abdel Fattah al-Burhan

The report (Russian only) prepared by the Roscongress Foundation in collaboration with the International Trade and Integration Research Center (ITI) specially for the first Russia—Africa Economic Forum gives an overview of Africa’s role in global economy and of the trade relations between Russia and Africa.

Extract of the programme:

Plenary session Russia and Africa: Uncovering the Potential for Cooperation

Address by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin
Address by the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt Abdelfattah el-Sisi.
H.E. Amani Abou-Zeid — Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission
Dmitry Kobylkin — Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation
Andrey Kostin — President and Chairman of the Management Board, VTB Bank
Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa — Chief Executive Officer, Naspers Ltd
Benedict Okey Oramah — President, Chairman of the Board of Directors, African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank)
Maxim Oreshkin — Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Andrey Slepnev — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Export Center
Stergomena Lawrence Tax — Executive Secretary, Southern African Development Community (SADC)

Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to double Russia’s trade with Africa in the next five years, speaking at the opening ceremony of the Russia-Africa summit. Putin said Russia was currently one of the ten largest food suppliers to Africa, noting that the volume of agricultural trade was already at a higher level than export of arms.

“Export of weapons stands at $15 billion, and agricultural products have already reached that mark, in my opinion, of $25 billion. Russian companies have long and successfully worked with partners from various sectors of the African economy and were determined to increase the trade. "

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, who co-chairs the summit with Putin, on his part invited “all private companies in Russia and other countries, as well as international financial organisations to cooperate and invest in Africa.” “Now is the right time for this,” Sisi concluded.

Sustainable Partnership in Agriculture: Institutions, Tools, and Guarantees

See the video coverage (in Russian only)

The steady development of African countries in the last few years, together with growing populations and income levels are all factors helping to boost agricultural production. However, a deficit of modern technology, lack of land suitable for farming, and a shortage of qualified personnel mean that the needs of the African market have not been fully met.

Russia’s unique geographic conditions, together with its vast land and water resources, provide the country with enormous agricultural potential. In the past few years, Russian companies have taken active steps to increase exports of agricultural products and food.

Indeed, Russia is already one of the ten largest food suppliers to Africa. However, a range of barriers related to infrastructure is currently hindering effective trade. Removing these could help collaboration reach an entirely new level.

What can be done to build an effective logistics infrastructure aiming to boost partnerships with African countries?
What is needed to develop mutually beneficial partnerships between Russia and Africa in the trade of agricultural products and food?
What are the prospects today for Russian investment in agricultural production and infrastructure in African countries?

Moderator: Albert Davleev — President, Agrifood Strategies

Panelists:

Hon. Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo — Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Yehia Zakaria El Shafei — Chief Executive Officer, United Oil Processing and Packaging
Selim Basak — Managing Partner, Gemcorp Capital
Andrey Guryev — Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Management Board, PhosAgro
Eduard Zernin — Executive Director, Russian Union of Grain Exporters
Sergey Kislov — President, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Agroholding Yug Rusi
Dmitry Konyaev — Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors, URALCHEM
Holger Kray (see picture) — Head of the Africa Policy Unit, World Bank Group
Sergey Levin — Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation
Angela Ndambuki — Chief Executive Officer, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Front row participants:

Ksenia Bolomatova — Deputy Director General, United Grain Company
Natalia Zagorskaya — General Director, LKHP Kirova
Sergey Ivanov — Executive Director, EFKO Management Company
Vasily Lavrovsky — Advisor to the Director of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance

Russia and Africa: Science, Education, and Innovation for Economic Development

The accelerated development of both Russia’s and Africa’s economic potential is inextricably linked to scientific output and the improvement of general education and professional training. The 21st century has heralded the rise of the knowledge economy. Scientific research and development results in new products and industries, and is able to make a vital contribution to tackling current social and economic challenges facing our countries. The Soviet Union made an invaluable contribution to developing the scientific and educational potential of a number of African countries.

What can Russia offer today in terms of developing science and education in Africa, particularly as part of the African Union’s Agenda 2063?
What new opportunities does cooperation in science and education with countries of the African continent present to Russia?

Moderator: Irina Abramova — Director, Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of
Sciences; Corresponding Member, Russian Academy of Sciences

Panellists:

Yuriy Balega — Vice-President, Russian Academy of Sciences
H.E. Abdoulaye Yero Balde — Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Republic of Guinea
Aiah Gbakima — Minister of Technical and Higher Education of the Republic of Sierra Leone
Pavel Zenkovich — First Deputy Minister of Enlightenment of the Russian Federation
H.E. Hala Helmy Elsaid Younes — Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Administrative Reform of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Mikhail Kotyukov — Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation
H.E. Mohamed Methqal — Ambassador, General Director, Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation
Igor Morozov — Deputy Chairman, Committee for Science, Education, and Culture of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation
H.E. Maria do Rosario Braganca Sambo — Minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation of the Republic of Angola
Hon. Elioda Tumwesigye — Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Republic of Uganda
Vladimir Filippov — Rector, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia