ST. PETERSBURG, July 28. /TASS/. Russia and African countries stand against unilateral sanctions and "punitive" restrictions against countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a plenary session of the Russia-Africa Summit.
"We jointly stand against using the topics of climate, protection of human rights and the so-called gender agenda for malign political purposes. We reject such illegitimate practices as unilateral sanctions and restrictive measures, which are in actual fact punitive, causing harm to countries that pursue an independent course and giving rise to economic problems on a global scale, constraining development," Putin said.
According to him, Russia and African countries are expanding cooperation in the areas of counteracting the spread of terrorist threats and addressing challenges in the field of information security.
The Second Russia-Africa Summit and Economic and Humanitarian Forum is being held on July 27-28 at the Expoforum venue in St. Petersburg under its traditional rubric: "For Peace, Security and Development." The event is being organized by the Roscongress Foundation. TASS is the official photo-hosting agency and information partner for the summit and forum, as well as the host of the Second Russia-Africa Media Forum.