MOSCOW, August 12./ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s main weapons exporter, state agency Rosboronexport, has signed about $1.7 billion contracts with Central and South African countries since the beginning of 2013, Director General Anatoly Isaykin said on Tuesday.

“Sub-Saharan countries make up a marginal share of our annual export, about 2% But orders are steadily increasing, and this is a long-term trend,” he told ITAR-TASS.

A foundation had been laid for cooperation with Nigeria, Cameroon, Mozambique, Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea. Weapons and armour supplies could also go to Botswana, Niger, Kenya, Rwanda, Djibouti and Ethiopia, he added.

The region provided stable demand for aircraft and helicopters, automotive and armoured vehicles, aircraft weapons and components, Isaykin said. The company was considering service centres and organization of licenced production, he added.

Rosoboronexport held consultations about military cooperation in other regions, with countries that did not even cooperate with the Soviet Union, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the Middle East, Brunei in Asia Pacific, Chile and Bolivia in Latin America, which was not the full list, said Isaykin.

Cooperation with many countries sharply contracted or was wound up after the Soviet Union break-up.

“We’ll shake the dust off these contacts, step up dialogue and switch to modern forms of partnership,” said Isaykin.

Part of Rostec corporation, Rosoboronexport is the only state agency in Russia specializing in export of all military and dual purpose products, services and technologies. The company accounts for more than 80% of Russia’s total military export.