MOSCOW, July 28. /TASS/. The Russian government and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) have signed a memorandum of cooperation, the Russian foreign ministry said on Friday.

"On the sidelines of the Second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg on July 28, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and President of the Commission of the Economic Community of Central African States Gilberto Da Piedade Verissimo, in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chairperson of the African Union and President of the Comoros Azali Assoumani, signed a memorandum of understanding between the Russian government and the ECCAS on the principles of relations and cooperation," it said.

The memorandum sets a legal framework for relations between Russia and this integration association and is designed to promote further cooperation in the economic, humanitarian, and social spheres. Under the memorandum, it is planned to hold regular consultations between the sides and develop cooperation programs.

Set up in 1983, the Economic Community of Central African States includes 11 Central African countries, namely Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, and Sao Tome and Principe.