MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. Russia and African countries share a common goal of building a multipolar and just world, Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said at a plenary session of the Russia-Africa parliamentary conference on Monday.

"Russia and African countries are united by shared goals: We stand together for building a multipolar, just world based on respect for the traditions, culture, and history of the countries with which we are building mutually beneficial cooperation," Volodin said.

The State Duma speaker noted that the conference brought together representatives of countries that know "the price of independence and how to decide for themselves how to live." He said relations between Russia and African countries "are at a new stage."

"Africa is a continent of freedom-loving people. Together, we can withstand any external pressure, as we have already done in our history. Friendship is a two-way street," Volodin stated.

The second Russia-Africa parliamentary conference is being held in Moscow from March 19-20. It is being attended by more than 40 official parliamentary delegations from African countries. The conference is aimed at strengthening parliamentary cooperation with African countries in the context of the formation of a multipolar world, developing relations and common approaches to legal regulation in the economy, in the field of science and education as well as in the field of security. It brings together representatives of the scientific, educational and expert communities from Russia and African countries, State Duma deputies and senators, heads of federal agencies, chairpersons of Russian regional legislatures and business community representatives.