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Russia, Eritrea plan to sign cooperation agreements — Putin

The head of the Russian state sees an opportunity to develop trade and economic ties between the two countries

MOSCOW, May 31. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the governments of Russia and Eritrea plan to sign a number of cooperation agreements.

The head of the Russian state sees an opportunity to develop trade and economic ties between the two countries.

"Of course, we must first of all pay attention to the development of trade and economic ties, here we have good prospects in many areas," Putin said at a meeting with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki at the Kremlin on Wednesday.

"We have a number of intergovernmental agreements to sign on the agenda. I hope that our colleagues have made all the preparations and we will be able to do it," the Russian leader said.

"I am sure that our talks today will be successful and will benefit the development of relations between the Russian Federation and Eritrea," Putin stressed.

The Russian President said he was glad to see the head of Eritrea in Moscow, this being his first official visit to Russia. Putin drew attention to the fact that the recent 30th anniversary of Eritrea's independence coincides with the date of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Putin thanked Afwerki for the fact that under his leadership, "relations between the countries are developing and strengthening."

Afwerki is the first and so far only president of Eritrea.

According to Putin, the two countries are developing ties in the political sphere.

"We are cooperating at the United Nations site. Our relations in the humanitarian sphere are developing quite well, dozens of students from Eritrea have already received education in the Russian Federation, and this process continues," the Russian leader noted.

He also recalled that this summer Russia will hold the second Russia-Africa summit, to which the President of Eritrea has also been invited.