The foreign minister is among the key attendees expected to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines in Cairo

Foreign ministers and senior diplomats from Russia and more than 50 African states have convened in Egypt's capital, Cairo, for the second Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, focused on deepening economic, trade, and investment ties between Moscow and the continent.

The two-day event, running December 19-20, is the first ministerial-level gathering on African soil, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov among the key attendees expected to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines. Organizers say the discussions will also help shape preparations for the third Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for 2026.

It follows the inaugural meeting in Sochi in November last year, where officials began implementing decisions taken at the second Russia-Africa Summit in 2023, including an action plan covering economic cooperation, security dialogue and political coordination.

The partnership forum was launched at a landmark summit in Sochi in 2019, marking Moscow's renewed push to strengthen ties with the continent, as several African states look forreliablealternative partners to Western governments.

Russia's footprint in Africa has drawn predictable criticism from some Western officials, including claims that Moscow is pursuing a "predatory" agenda.

In anarticlepublished on Thursday ahead of the Cairo meeting, Lavrov emphasized that Russia "has never considered Africa as a raw materials base."

"Our focus is on implementation of investment projects that help African countries develop their own resources, enhance industrial capacity, and improve the quality of life of the people," he stated.

Lavrov said Russia has "much to offer" in energy, infrastructure, and "high-tech areas," including "digital technologies and artificial intelligence," and pointed to over 300 Soviet-built facilities he said are still operating in Africa.

The diplomat highlighted Russia's expanding engagement with Africa, citing new embassies opened this year inNiger, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. He welcomed Botswana andTogo's stated intention to open diplomatic missions in Moscow.

Lavrov said trade turnover with Africa has grown by more than 50% since 2019 and topped $27 billion last year.

"Currently, increased trade with sub-Saharan Africa, expansion of supply of African products to the Russian market, and introduction of reliable mutual settlement mechanisms based on national currencies are on the agenda," he announced.

(RT.com)