Congo Official: Russia-Africa Summit to Boost Cooperation

MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. The upcoming Russia-Africa summit in October will open up significant prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation, Secretary-General of the National Security Council of the Republic of the Congo Vice Admiral Jean-Dominique Okemba said in an interview with TASS ahead of the International Security Forum under the auspices of the Russian Security Council.

"For African states, the quality of proposed partnerships, respect for the sovereignty of states, and their tangible contributions to development, stability, and national capacity building remain key. The upcoming Russia-Africa summit should provide an opportunity to consolidate this cooperation on a concrete, balanced, and mutually beneficial basis," he said.

Moscow remains an important historical partner for a number of African countries, Okemba noted. "Today, we are witnessing Russia’s desire to strengthen its diplomatic and economic presence, as well as its security activities on the African continent. And all this is happening in the context of a constantly changing international context," he added.

According to a decree issued by the Russian president on March 25, the third Russia-Africa summit and other events in this format will be held in Moscow in 2026. Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of an organizing committee to prepare and host the summit, which will be headed by his aide Yury Ushakov.