ADDIS ABABA, November 20. /TASS/. Russian economic operators will provide assistance to African countries to ensure food security, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in his address to participants of the international conference on ensuring food sovereignty in African countries.

At the conference the address was read at the event by Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Yevgeny Teryokhin.

"Russia is committed to the progressive expansion of friendly ties and economic cooperation with Africa. We recognize the fundamental importance of food security for our partners, and therefore, Russian economic operators will continue to provide all necessary assistance in addressing this challenge," the minister’s address read.

Lavrov noted that the conference covers "a wide range of relevant topics from sharing Russian experience, knowledge, and technology to modernize African agriculture, to the localization of agricultural production and assistance in training qualified national personnel."

"We expect that it will help chart a path for our African friends to achieve food sovereignty and advance the goals outlined in both the African Union’s Kampala Declaration of January 2025 and the Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want plan," the address said.

For his part, the ambassador noted that Russia occupies a leading position in ensuring Africa's food security.

"The share of our agricultural products in physical terms exceeds 14% of all African food imports. Russian supplies account for more than a third of the wheat, barley, and sunflower oil imported by African countries. The annual volume of Russian agricultural exports to Africa exceeds 20 million tons," the ambassador noted.

Addis Ababa is hosting a conference on ensuring food sovereignty in African countries on November 20-21. The event is sponsored by the Federal Agency for CIS Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation with the support of the Russian Agriculture Ministry and Foreign Ministry. According to the organizers, the event aims to foster business ties between Russian and African partners, develop practical solutions for the development of Africa's agro-industrial sector, and stimulate the region's economic growth.