MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. At their summit later this week, Russia and African countries should adopt a comprehensive declaration, joint statements and approve a partnership action plan until 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in his article, "Russia and Africa: Joining Efforts for Peace, Progress and a Successful Future," published on the Kremlin website on Monday.

The second Russia-Africa Summit and Economic Forum is slated for July 27-28 in St. Petersburg. The first such event was held in Sochi on October 22-24, 2019 under the slogan "For peace, security and development."

"We attach great importance to the upcoming second Russia-Africa Summit. We expect that the Summit would adopt a comprehensive Declaration, a number of joint statements and approve the Russia - Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan to 2026. We are working to prepare an impressive package of intergovernmental and inter-agency agreements and memoranda with individual states as well as regional associations of the continent," Putin wrote.

The Russian leader added that he was looking forward to welcoming the African leaders in St. Petersburg and that he stood committed to a fruitful constructive dialogue. He also expressed confidence that the decisions to be adopted at the Summit and Forum would contribute to bringing the development of Russian-African strategic partnership forward.

According to Putin, bringing cooperation in the humanitarian and cultural fields, as well as in sports and mass media to a whole new level would serve the common interests of Russia and Africa.