The Nigerian Government has urged the Russian Federation to increase its collaboration with Africa to boost trade, investment and improve infrastructure on the continent.
Gabriel Aduda, the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said this at the 2019 Africa Export- Import Bank (Afreximbank) Annual Meetings in Russia.
The theme of the event is: “Harnessing Emerging partnerships in an Era of Rising Protectionism”.
While commending the Russian Government for hosting the event, Aduda also commended them for their commitment toward developing the African continent.
The Nigerian representative said the Russian Federation played a key role in the emergence of Africa from independence.
He said that Nigeria also worked closely with the Russian Federation in getting South Africa out of apartheid.
Aduda expressed optimism that the continued partnership with Russia would promote trade and bilateral agreement on the continent.
He restated the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, adding that it would boost trade on the continent and the world at large.
He urged stakeholders and the Russian Government to utilise the opportunity of the seminar to foster closer tiles and deepen it’s relationship.
Earlier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, expressed Russia’s williness to contribute to the development of the African continent.
Lavrov said more than 20 billion dollars investment deals was done on the continent in 2018.
He said: “Russia is building a long term relationship with Africa and has become a shareholder in Afreximbank.
“To give an additional impetus to all our cooperation, including commercial and economic, it was decided to jointly organise the first Russia-Africa summit in October 2019 in Sochi.
“We are waiting for African Heads of State and Government, leaders of the African Union and other major subregional organisations.
“We hope that Afreximbank will contribute to the substantial content of the economic part of the programme, which seems very solid.
“I take this opportunity to call on dear participants of the current conference to actively join future activities in Sochi.”
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