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Lavrov, Ethiopian top diplomat discuss preparations for second Russia-Africa Summit

The second Russia-Africa summit is expected to be held in the summer of 2023

MOSCOW, September 23. /TASS/. Russian top diplomat Sergey Lavrov and Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen discussed preparations for the second Russia-Africa summit on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The parties held a thorough exchange of views on the key aspects of multifaceted bilateral cooperation, discussing the prospects for strengthening Russian-Ethiopian cooperation in various fields with a focus on expanding trade, economic and humanitarian ties. They also reaffirmed their determination to continue to closely coordinate the activities of Moscow and Addis Ababa within the United Nations and other multilateral organizations. In addition, they considered issues related to preparations for the second Russia-Africa Summit. Considerable attention was paid to the search for ways to resolve conflicts and stabilize the situation in the Horn of Africa," the statement reads.

The second Russia-Africa summit is expected to be held in the summer of 2023. The first Russia-Africa Summit took place in the Russian city of Sochi in October 2019. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Ambassador-at-Large and head of the Secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Oleg Ozerov, food security will be one of the top issues on the agenda of the second Russia-Africa Summit.

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