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‘There is space for everyone’: Russia, West, Asia can help Africa — UN official

Leonardo Santos Simao noted that Africans hope to open up new opportunities for further development

MOSCOW, March 28. /TASS/. Temporary problems with the comprehensive assistance to Africa can be overcome if countries understand that there is room for everyone in Africa concerning this matter, UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel Leonardo Santos Simao said in an interview with TASS.

"I think this is a sort of temporary problems but with time and patience and dialogue people who understand that there is space enough for everybody. For Russia, for Western countries, for Asia, and everyone," he said. "And Africans, if I can understand in their mood, they are no more leaning to exclusive relationships. They wanted this diversification of relationship because they see this as an option to try efforts of development which didn't happen in the past."

According to the UN official, humanitarian assistance is seen as one of the most important formats of foreign support, which is needed in West Africa, especially in the Sahel. "And so we appreciate very much the humanitarian assistance Russia is providing to the region, but it's not enough," he noted. "The magnitude of the problem is such that more and more humanitarian assistance is necessary. It saves life. But at the same time, we have to look at the long term through efforts for development also. So we have to look at these two sides, as well as at the same time - increase humanitarian assistance, but also certain efforts for long term development."

He noted that Africans hope to open up new opportunities for further development. "After 60 years of independence, this development is not coming. So they try to find new ways, new avenues, explore new avenues towards economic development. That's what they are looking for," he stressed.

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