Moscow:The 3rd Russia-Africa Summit and the Economic and Humanitarian Forum began in Moscow on Wednesday, marking the start of an agenda filled with high-level talks and agreements. Premier Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri, along with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Mohamed Ali Nafti, and a delegation of officials, arrived in the city on Tuesday evening to participate in the summit.
According to Agence Tunis Afrique Presse – English, Zenzri is expected to engage in plenary and dialogue sessions, in addition to holding several bilateral meetings. The summit, chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin, carries the theme "For Peace, Security and Development," and sees participation from 48 out of the 54 African nations. Notably, 22 leaders and heads of state and government are partaking in this summit, a significant increase from the 17 who attended the previous summit in Saint Petersburg in July 2023.
The summit aims to scale up economic cooperation between Russia and African countries, focusing on trade, investment, health, infrastructure, energy, technologies, and education. President Putin is co-chairing the plenary session alongside Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, who is also the Chairperson of the African Union. The event also features an Economic and Humanitarian Forum under the theme "Acting together to build a mutually beneficial cooperation and strengthen the capacities of each African country."
With nearly 4,000 Russian and African enterprises invited, the forum is hosting over 40 professional events. Dialogue sessions will cover various issues, including "Sovereignty The Foundation for Development," "The Economy of a Sovereign World Order," and "Technology and Innovation for a Better Quality of Life." Moscow is particularly interested in enhancing cooperation in energy, agriculture, investment, infrastructure, and technologies while respecting national sovereignty and equitable resource access.
Participants are anticipated to adopt a joint declaration, an action plan for 2027-2029, and a declaration on cooperation in artificial intelligence at the summit's conclusion. Additionally, 33 documents, including inter-government agreements, memoranda, and commercial contracts, are expected to be signed. This summit builds on the results of previous meetings in Sochi in 2019 and Saint Petersburg in 2023.