Russia-Africa ministerial meeting opens in Cairo

The second ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum opened Saturday in Cairo, bringing together senior officials from Egypt, Russia and more than 50 African countries, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

The opening session was attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, and representatives of regional organizations.

"Egypt places high value on the Russia-Africa partnership and is committed to helping build a more just and stable international system," Abdelatty said in his opening remarks.

He said that Egypt and its partners are focused on development and reconstruction, working to mobilize financing for projects across Africa and deepen integration with partners, including Russia.

Abdelatty also stressed the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully and rejecting foreign interference.

On the Palestinian issue, Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt's full support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, rejected any displacement of Palestinians from their land, and voiced support for rebuilding the Gaza Strip without altering its geographic or demographic character.

Lavrov said African countries play an important role at multiple levels, adding that Russia supports Africa in development, trade, investment and countering extremism, according to Egypt's state-run Al-Qahera News channel.

Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received African ministers and heads of delegations attending the meeting.

Sisi said that his country has no problem with Ethiopia, stressing that Cairo's sole demand is safeguarding its rights to Nile water, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.

He said Egypt seeks a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, adding that Egypt's policy is based on noninterference and rejecting efforts to destabilize other states.

Despite differences with Ethiopia, Sisi said Egypt has never threatened Addis Ababa and believes disputes should be resolved through dialogue and political solutions.

Tensions persist between Egypt and Sudan on one side and Ethiopia on the other over the dam, which Ethiopia began building in 2011. Cairo and Khartoum have called for a binding trilateral agreement, while Ethiopia says no such accord is required, a dispute that has repeatedly stalled negotiations.

The president also said Egypt is keen to expand cooperation with African countries by encouraging Egyptian companies to increase investment and partnerships across the continent. He said Egyptian investments in Africa exceed $12 billion, while trade volume has topped $10 billion.

He added that the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development has implemented more than 700 training programs across Africa in line with partner countries' priorities and underscored the importance of sustaining stability and ensuring security of navigation in the Red Sea as key pillars of regional and international security, the presidency said.

The Russia-Africa Partnership Forum discusses ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment, energy and infrastructure, as well as shared concerns related to security and stability across the African continent, Egyptian state media reported.

The first ministerial meeting of the conference was held in November 2024 in Sochi, Russia. Preparatory meetings for the second session began Friday in Cairo.