PRETORIA, June 22. /TASS/. Africa’s peace initiative for the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis is a start of a path to a stronger and more effective African voice, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said on Thursday, following his visit to Russia and Ukraine last week as part of an African peace mission.

"I see the Africa Peace Initiative in the Russia-Ukraine [conflict] as a start on the path to a stronger and more effective African voice, that will be good for the continent and the world. I’m committed to this path, and to ensuring that African voices are heard and are a force for good," he said on Twitter.

A delegation of seven African countries, including the presidents of Zambia, Comoros, Senegal, South Africa, the prime minister of Egypt, as well as representatives of the Republic of Congo and Uganda, visited Kiev on June 16 and held talks with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. The next day, the mission was received in St. Petersburg by Russian President Vladimir Putin. On June 17, on behalf of the delegation, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa outlined a 10-point plan that could lay the groundwork for a peace process in Ukraine. It was agreed that the mission would continue consultations with Russia during the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in July. Fholisani Sydney Mufamadi, a national security adviser to the South African president, will participate in the summit that has been called by Zelensky, which will be held in Copenhagen in August.