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Kremlin aide to chair organizing committee for 2019 Russia-Africa summit

The lineup of the committee is to be approved within a month

MOSCOW, February 25. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed his aide Yuri Ushakov to chair the organizing committee paving the way for the Russia-Africa summit that Moscow will host this year, as well as other events within the Russia-Africa format, said a decree posted on the official portal of legal information on Monday.

The lineup of the committee is to be approved within a month. The Russian government is to ensure financing of the expenditures related to Russia’s hosting the summit. The document said Rosscongress, a major organizer of international conventions, exhibitions and public events, will be the task performer.

The idea to hold a Russia-Africa forum was initiated by President Putin at the BRICS (Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa) summit in Johannesburg in July 2018.

Wihin the framework of preparations, in October 2018 a public forum Russia-Africa was held and this year a parliamentary forum will take place in the same format. Russia will also host a meeting of shareholders of the African Export-Import Bank, which Russia joined recently, and a business forum Russia-Africa is scheduled for autumn.

The first Russia-Africa summit will enhance mutual ties and increase effectiveness of cooperation between its participants, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier. .

"We believe that this [summit] will allow us to significantly increase the level and quality of our cooperation and find certain ways to further enrich our historically friendly ties with African friends," Lavrov said. "In general, we called for boosting cooperation between Russia and African states in all areas, namely in the context of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiative on holding the first in the history summit between Russia and Africa, which is due in autumn this year".

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Sergey Lavrov Vladimir Putin China South Africa

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