ST. PETERSBURG, July 28. /TASS/. Moscow will continue to take a responsible approach to agricultural product supplies, including deliveries grain and other products to countries in need free of charge, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the plenary session of the Russia-Africa summit.

"You can rest assured, dear friends, that Russia will always be a responsible international supplier of agricultural products." We will continue to assist the most vulnerable countries and regions. We will supply our grain and other food, both for free and within the framework of the UN food program," he said.

Putin recalled the previous day's announcement that 25,000-50,000 metric tons of grain will be sent free of charge to six African countries over the next three to four months. "Overall, Russia intends to continue to help the development of the African continent in every way possible, including not only humanitarian assistance, but also trade preferences, assistance in development of modern industries, the agricultural sector, and assistance through specialized international structures and agencies," he said.

He also stressed that Moscow carried out 11 humanitarian missions bilaterally with ten African countries in the past nearly four years. "A total of 11 Russian humanitarian missions were carried out on a bilateral basis in ten African countries between 2020 and 2023. We were among the first ones to come to the assistance of the countries of the continent during the coronavirus pandemic," he pointed out.

According to the president, millions of testing systems were sent to Africa free of charge along with mobile medical laboratories, and equipment was installed at a special center for the study of the infection.

"I would like to emphasize once again that we are sincerely ready to work towards a better future together, hand in hand with our African friends, building genuine strategic cooperation and partnership. We appreciate relations with each African nation and the continent in general. We are also confident that a bright future exists for these relations in the emerging multipolar world," the Russian head of state stressed.

The second Russia-Africa Summit is taking place at St. Petersburg’s Expoforum on July 27-28, in parallel with economic and humanitarian forums. Similar to the first such summit in 2019, the event is being held under the rubric "For Peace, Security and Development." The event is being organized by the Roscongress Foundation. TASS is the event’s official information partner and photo-hosting agency.