MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. Over 30 African countries requested Russia’s assistance in fighting the coronavirus infection, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.

Russia’s top diplomat made this statement while opening negotiations with the foreign ministers of the African Union’s troika (the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt and South Africa).

"They expressed the words of gratitude for the assistance our corresponding agencies had already rendered to the African countries and we continue receiving requests for further help. More than 30 countries have already sent their requests to us and we are considering them with maximum attention," Lavrov said.

The damage done to the African countries’ economy by the pandemic has yet to be estimated, Russia’s top diplomat pointed out.

"Moreover, our colleagues expect this damage to be far greater than it is felt now," he specified.

An agreement has been reached on continuing the efforts for rendering assistance in the anti-coronavirus fight, including through international structures, both African and global, he said.

"They stressed mutual interest in interaction in developing vaccines against these types of pandemic threats, in particular, the useful and effective experience of our cooperation several years ago in the fight against the Ebola fever," Lavrov said.