MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. The first-ever Russia-Africa summit will focus on ironing out African conflicts and issues by the continent’s countries themselves, without any foreign interference, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the 12th convention of the Russian International Studies Association at MGIMO University.
"The day after tomorrow the first-ever Russia-Africa Summit will begin. We will pay attention there to these issues [settling conflicts in Africa by African states themselves — TASS]," Lavrov said.
Russia will back the African approach to African problems, Lavrov said, citing Russian President Vladimir Putin as saying in an interview with TASS in the run-up to the summit.
Lavrov noted that Russia would never repeat the sad mistakes of the past when there were attempts to impose decisions from outside on the African states. "We will always strive to make sure that the world community contributes to fulfilling those decisions made by Africa’s people themselves," Russia's top diplomat stated.
The Russia-Africa Summit co-chaired by the Russian and Egyptian presidents, Vladimir Putin and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, will be held in Russia’s resort city of Sochi on October 23 and 24. Leaders of all the 54 countries of the African continent have been invited to the forum, with over 40 having confirmed their participation. Concurrently, an economic forum will take place, which is expected to be attended by heads of state and representatives of state structures, business and integration associations of the continent.