MOSCOW – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Africa Day that Russia remains a reliable partner for the continent, contributing to its sovereignty. Lavrov was speaking at a reception held in Moscow to mark the occasion, an event also attended by Mahamat Paba Sale, Ambassador of the Republic of Cameroon to the Russian Federation. Their remarks were published by the official website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Sergey Lavrov emphasised the importance of the African continent for international politics and the historical process, TV BRICS reported.
“Our country is invariably in favour of expanding traditionally friendly relations with African partners,” Lavrov said. He also emphasised Russia’s support for strengthening education and economic development in African countries.
“Russia remains a reliable partner contributing to Africa’s sovereignty,” the minister emphasised.
For his part, Mahamat Paba Sale noted the special importance of Russian-African relations.
“Russia has played a key role in the process of independence of African countries, supporting the aspiration for progress of their peoples,” the diplomat said.
Sale added that Russian universities train qualified personnel who are in demand in Africa, while the expansion of trade ties brings tangible benefits to local economies. He expressed confidence that the partnership will only strengthen and thanked the Russian side for its attention and support.
Separately, in Havana, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel noted Africa’s deep historical influence on the Cuban nation in an address on Africa Day, as reported by Prensa Latina, a partner of TV BRICS.
“We celebrate Africa Day, a continent where a significant part of our ancestors lived. Their contribution to the formation of Cuba is inestimable,” he wrote on social media.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez added that Cubans are proud to celebrate the date.
Meanwhile, Rahmat Allah Mohamed Osman, the African Union’s Permanent Representative to China, emphasised the significance of the holiday as a symbol of unity, CGTN, a partner of TV BRICS, reported. Osman highlighted China’s important role in supporting African countries, noting the massive Tanzania-Zambia railway project. The AU Permanent Representative to China also drew attention to the African Union’s active cooperation with China under the “One Belt, One Road” initiative.
Africa Day is an annual holiday celebrated on May 25 to commemorate the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union) in 1963. The day symbolises the unity of African countries, their struggle for independence, freedom, and social justice.
