Joint Statement by the Participants in the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum (PART II)

4 - Trade and Economic Cooperation

4.1 We acknowledge the positive dynamics in mutual trade between the Russian Federation and African States, despite the unilateral coercive measures in force. Given the potential of Russia–Africa trade and economic cooperation, we reaffirm our shared commitment to significantly increase and diversify its scale. We emphasize the need to put in place the necessary mechanisms to facilitate the engagement of Russian and African companies in sustainable partnerships that promote inclusive growth and local jobs.

4.2 We intend to continue working to advance joint investment projects aimed at boosting the socio-economic development of our States. In this regard, we underscore the importance of expanding the participation of Russian companies in Africa, including through cooperation focused on establishing and strengthening manufacturing and industrial capabilities. Especially, in such areas as transport and logistics infrastructure, transport and power engineering, renewable energy, oil and gas technology and equipment, fertilizers, metallurgy digitalisation, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, as well as the establishment of service centres, the provision of professional training, and the facilitation of technology transfer on fair and mutually beneficial terms, including through joint research and development, knowledge-sharing platforms. Such cooperation will help to advance sustainable development, support technology transfer, generate employment and strengthen value addition.

4.3 We reaffirm our determination to enhance interaction in the fuel and energy industries and in the field of critical raw minerals essential for just and balanced energy transition, particularly on the African continent. We intend to build up mutually beneficial cooperation on peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

4.4 We welcome the holding of the first Russia–Africa Raw Materials Dialogue, hosted at the Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University from 29 October to 1 November 2025 at the initiative of the Russian Federation. We hope that this forum will become a regular mechanism for fostering cooperation in mining management. We also emphasize the importance of Russia–Africa cooperation to prevent illegal exploitation of raw materials.

4.5 We underline the importance of bilateral intergovernmental commissions on trade and economic, scientific and technical cooperation (IGCs) as key coordinating mechanisms for the development of Russia–Africa trade and economic relations. We commend the progress achieved in establishing new IGCs.

4.6 We advocate a comprehensive, inclusive and non-politicised approach to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and express our willingness to pursue a path of sovereign development that takes into account national particularities, economic and country-specific developmental needs of each state. We note the need to intensify our efforts for enhanced and mutually beneficial cooperation, and work further on finding effective ways to support Africa in the implementation of the priority development goals of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

4.7 We reaffirm our determination to reduce dependence on foreign aid and enhance domestic resource mobilisation. We underline the importance of elaborating a UN framework convention on international cooperation in tax matters. We urge developed countries to scale up and fulfil their respective official development assistance commitments.

4.8 We reaffirm our commitment to scale up efforts toward realising the 2030 Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda through strengthening development cooperation, acceleration of SDG investments, advancing reform in the international financial architecture, supporting sustained, inclusive and sustainable growth, and enhancing macroeconomic policy cooperation. We call for strengthened international support for developing countries through increased development financing, technology transfer, technical cooperation, targeted capacity building and other means that accelerate sustainable development.

4.9 We express readiness to work together to strengthen the influence and representation of African countries in the global economic governance system and to support the establishment and effective operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), including through technical cooperation, trade facilitation measures, support for capacity development, and infrastructure connectivity. We recognise the AfCFTA as a flagship project of Agenda 2063 and commit to establishing clear frameworks for cooperation with the Russian Federation.

4.10 We reiterate the importance for multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, UN organs and all development partners to implement the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) as a complement to their existing practices and policies, in line with their respective mandates and for simplifying modalities for accessing climate financing especially by developing countries.

4.11 We note the success of the South African Presidency in placing the priorities of Africa and the Global South at the core of the G20 agenda. We will continue to make every effort to consolidate the position of the African Union within the G20, as well as to ensure that the interests of the Global South are taken into account in collective arrangements to achieve fair representation in global governance, counter geoeconomic fragmentation, and build a truly multipolar world order.

4.12 We express our support to an open, transparent, fair, inclusive and equal rules-based multilateral trading system, with the WTO at its core. We underscore the centrality of the development dimension in the work of WTO and support the full integration of developing countries, including least-developed countries, into global trading system, while preserving the special and differential treatment as an integral part of the WTO.

4.13 We advocate a comprehensive reform of the global financial architecture and its key institutions – the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank – which should operate on the principles of depoliticization, equality, and consideration of the interests of all members. We emphasise the need to strengthen the role and voice of African countries in decision-making and expand their representation in the leadership of global financial governance bodies. We support the reform of multilateral development banks (MDBs) aimed at the increasing their lending capacity, diversifying the geographic and sectoral structure of project operations, attracting funding from various sources, including in national currencies, and facilitating access to MDBs' resources for countries in need while maintaining their long-term financial stability.

4.14 We emphasise that comprehensive multilateral financial measures are necessary to ensure debt relief for low- and middle-income countries and to create conditions fostering sustained economic growth and the achievement of development goals. We will support the establishment of the African Credit Rating Agency as an important step towards promoting fair, transparent and objective credit ratings for African countries. We look forward to its positive contribution in reducing the cost of borrowing, and advancing a more equitable and development-oriented sustainable debt architecture.

4.15 We express serious concern over and strongly condemn the continued practice of applying unilateral restrictive measures which contradict the Charter of the United Nations and the WTO rules, including those affecting the assets and property of sovereign States. We encourage cooperation between Russia and Africa through multilateral forums to that effect.

4.16 We support the creation of secure and resilient international cooperation instruments and mechanisms in finance, payment, insurance, transport and logistics fields. We stress the importance of encouraging the use of national currencies in trade and financial transactions between the Russian Federation and African countries.

4.17 We are committed to work together with the Russian Federation to harness the potential of our oceans whilst promoting sustainable development and inclusive economic cooperation that supports the Blue/ocean based Economy. We emphasise the importance of strengthening partnerships to explore development opportunities in marine biotechnology, marine connectivity, scientific research. We intend to coordinate our efforts in order to ensure that decisions made by international organisations are based on the mutual interests of the Russian Federation and African States, including the lawful use of the oceans. We advocate the development of maritime transport as an integral part of sustainable development in line with the objectives of preserving the marine environment. We note the significant role of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in upholding the rule of law regarding ocean activities. We emphasise the need for consistent application of the provisions of this universal international convention without prejudice to the rights and legitimate interests of its States Parties in order to maintain the integrity of the legal regime established by the Convention and to develop maritime cooperation.

4.18 We acknowledge the intensified constructive and fruitful bilateral cooperation within the Kimberley Process – the only legitimate and universal international mechanism for regulating the global diamond industry – for the purpose of maintaining stability on the gemstone market. We emphasise the importance of expanding cooperation within the African Diamond Producers Association to ensure the sustainable development of the African diamond industry. We express concern at the imposition of unilateral coercive measures and other practices which undermine the Kimberly Process, including attempts to politicise the definition of “conflict diamonds”.

4.19 We intend to strengthen cooperation in agriculture to increase and diversify trade in agrifood products and mineral fertilisers. We are committed to developing scientific and technical cooperation, including in breeding and genetics, veterinary vaccines supply and advanced training and education for African nationals at Russian agricultural universities.

4.20 We welcome the International Food Safety Conference organized by the Russian Federation in Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 20-21 November 2025, with the participation of concerned Russian and African government agencies, experts in agriculture and scientists, and major Russian food and fertiliser suppliers. We underline the importance of our commitment to ensuring food security and nutrition, promoting agricultural efficiency, and encouraging continued cooperation in these areas, for sustainable and resilient agriculture and increased agricultural productivity and production in Africa.

4.21 We aim to expand Russia-Africa cooperation in disaster prevention and response, continue the provision of humanitarian aid, monitoring and forecasting emergency situations.

4.22 We reaffirm our intention to continue promoting the development of tourism, unlocking of each other's tourism potential, participation in international tourism fora, and raising public awareness of our countries' tourism opportunities. We support the creation of tools that enable cross-border retail payments.

4.23 We are committed to strengthening cooperation and developing mutually beneficial and constructive dialogue between the Eurasian Economic Union and the countries and integration organisations of the African continent, including through the conclusion of a new memorandum of understanding on economic cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the African Union Commission.

5 - Education, Health, Culture, Sports, Youth and Media Cooperation

5.1 We commend the implementation of educational projects by the Russian Federation and African countries, including the steady increase in the quotas for State scholarships granted by the Russian Federation to African citizens to study at Russian higher education institutions; professional development programs on priority qualifications for African partners, including technical and scientific-technical fields; training of teaching staff for general education institutions in Africa. We acknowledge the effective work of consortia of Russian and African universities – the Russian-African Network University (RAFU), the Subsoil of Africa International Consortium of Technical Universities and the Russian-African Network University of Transport. We encourage the signing of agreements between African and Russian universities with the aim of strengthening cooperation in the fields of innovation, artificial intelligence, new technologies, scientific and academic research.

5.2 We note that creating additional opportunities for studying the Russian language in African countries, as well as developing African studies in the Russian Federation is important for strengthening mutual understanding between countries and peoples. We call for strengthening academic exchange programs between African and Russian universities, both for students and teachers, while promoting the establishment of joint research centres in the fields of applied sciences, technology, innovation.

5.3 We acknowledge the importance of recording history and the value of dialogue and study of history, preserving the truthful memory of the historical events, and support collaboration between historians, archivists, search teams, and relevant volunteer and youth organisations, both through bilateral contacts and multilateral mechanisms.

5.4 We commend dynamic cultural exchanges and cooperation between the Russian Federation and African countries. We deem any restrictions on access to global cultural heritage and politically biased persecution of members of creative community unacceptable.

5.5 We encourage sports cooperation, and related activities including anti-doping, exchange of delegations and experience, as well as holding of joint competitions, interaction among involved organisations, associations and independent federations, and exploring new areas of sports cooperation in particular through the exchange of experience and expertise in emerging areas of interest to sport. We emphasise the unacceptability of the politicization of sport and its use as a tool for discrimination against athletes. We call for equitable international sports cooperation consistent with the spirit and principles of Olympism.

5.6 We are committed to promoting cooperation between African and Russian youth including through women's organisations, youth exchanges and volunteers’ programs, and mutual participation in specialised fora and relevant segments at congresses and exhibitions.

5.7 We welcome the election of Dr. Khaled El-Enany, the African candidate, for the post of Director-General of UNESCO and in this regard we advocate wider cooperation within UNESCO aimed at building the educational, scientific, cultural and informational capacity of African countries, including through the implementation of Global Priority Africa. We intend to strengthen cooperation in preserving and promoting the cultural and natural heritage of the African continent, expanding horizontal ties between Russian and African educational institutions, and engaging African scientists in specialized support programs implemented in Russia.

5.8 We reaffirm our commitment to strengthening cooperation in the fields of culture and heritage preservation as a vital dimension of their strategic partnership. We recognize the responsibility to safeguard cultural heritage—tangible and intangible—as a foundation of national identity and mutual understanding among peoples. We emphasize the importance of joint efforts to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural properties through enhanced capacity-building, information exchange, and coordination among competent authorities, in line with relevant international conventions, including the 1970 UNESCO Convention. We also express our determination to promote the restitution and return of illegally-acquired cultural objects to their countries of origin, support joint exhibitions, and encourage professional exchanges between museums, research institutions, and heritage experts.

5.9 We commend the cooperation in ensuring the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population of African countries, their resilience to emergencies, including outbreaks of dangerous infectious diseases, in enhancing Africa’s health sovereignty and preparedness. We acknowledge the importance of laboratory infrastructure improvement, implementation of joint research activities, as well as in training relevant experts. We support for strengthening African pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, local production of vaccines and medical countermeasures and health technology transfer to enhance Africa’s health sovereignty and pandemic preparedness. We support the establishment of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) and regional manufacturing hubs.

5.10 We welcome the First Russia-Africa International Exercise of Rapid Response Teams for Emergency Solutions of Sanitary and Epidemiological Nature organised by the Russian Federation in Addis Ababa in April 2025, as well as the 5th International Scientific and Practical Conference "Global Biosecurity Challenges. Problems and Solutions" held in Sochi in June 2025.

5.11 We express our willingness to intensify joint efforts to shape the vision of a common information space that would secure freedom of dissemination and access to reliable and evidence-based materials. We emphasise the importance of joint efforts to promote the diffuse of information that contributes to strengthening international peace, security and mutual understanding, developing friendly relations between States, and promoting traditional spiritual and moral values as a unifying force for humankind.

5.12 We reaffirm our readiness to strengthen media cooperation, including by opening media offices, establishing cooperation among professional journalist associations and the International Fact-Checking Network, training programs for journalists and promoting the exchange of information and expertise in this field.

5.13 We welcome Russia–Africa interfaith cooperation, aimed at educational, spiritual and cultural development and better understanding between peoples.

6 - Environmental and Climate Cooperation

6.1 We advocate for stepping up efforts to consolidate approaches to international environmental and climate issues within the specialised UN fora to prevent the politicisation of work in these areas, and to ensure the right of each State to determine its own best tools and mechanisms for sustainable environmental management within a timeframe consistent with national circumstances.

6.2 We reaffirm our commitment to implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement to ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy sources for all in order to foster economic growth, improve living standards of the population and eradicate energy poverty. We note the importance of the diversified energy balance through the use of all energy sources, including fossil fuels, renewable energy, hydropower, nuclear and hydrogen energy, to ensure sustainable energy supply and demand, energy security and the stability of energy markets.

6.3 We support the principles of an equitable energy transition based on the consideration of national particularities, the use of all energy sources without discrimination and technological neutrality.

6.4 We express our readiness to work together to foster socio-economic development with low greenhouse gas emissions and to promote equitable and balanced energy transitions, taking into account each country's national interests and circumstances, and principles of technological neutrality, non-discriminatory access to financing and the unimpeded transfer of energy technologies on mutually beneficial terms.

6.5 We fully support the Belém Package adopted at the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) held on 10-22 November in Brazil. We reaffirm our commitment to developing a mutually acceptable, fair and transparent carbon trading system under the Paris Agreement.

6.6 We condemn discriminatory protectionist measures, including unilateral ones, applied under the pretext of climate and environmental concerns, which undermine competition and deliberately disrupt global production and supply chains. We underscore that measures taken to combat climate change and protect the environment, including unilateral ones, should not constitute a means of arbitrary and unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international trade, and welcome the COP30 decision to launch special dialogue aimed at addressing this matter.

6.7 At the same time, we call for the promotion of international cooperation on climate change based on the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, national interests and specificities of each country, as well as on the principles of technology neutrality, non-discriminatory access to appropriate funding, unhindered access and transfer of energy technologies as well as participation in research and development of these technologies. We appreciate global action to tackle climate change and its impact on Africa, including the operationalisation of the fund responding to loss and damage.

6.8 We emphasise the importance of providing adequate, predictable and accessible means to achieve the goals of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement through substantially scaled-up climate finance, capacity building and development support to African States. We reaffirm our commitment to supporting African States in their adaptation and resilience efforts in the face of climate change impacts.

6.9 We reiterate our commitment to working together to counter attempts to exploit environmental and climate issues to raise additional tariff and non-tariff barriers against imports from the Global South and impose an accelerated "green" energy transition agenda and other measures that weaken the economic and industrial potential of developing countries.

6.10 We emphasize the importance of ensuring timely and adequate climate financing to enable African States to address the impact of climate change. We recognize the need to increase financing for adaptation, and to operationalize the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage to build resilience in communities.

6.11 We reaffirm the importance of preserving biodiversity and emphasise the need for capacity building, innovative technologies and international cooperation to move forward on this issue.

6.12 We reiterate our commitment to enhance global action to combat desertification, land degradation and drought, to improve the resilience of populations and ecosystems, to promote access to water with a view to promoting socio-economic development and poverty eradication.

6.13 We encourage international cooperation in the field of the circular economy and integrating circularity into development plans while taking into account the national circumstances and priorities of each country.

6.14 We call for the strengthening of international cooperation to address plastic pollution while respecting national specificities and the respective capacities of each country.

6.15 We reaffirm the importance of addressing the danger of water scarcity and the necessity of maintaining and bolstering cooperation among riparian states on the bases of the equality of the rights and the community of interest and the applicable principles of international law.

6.16 We recognise the importance of Russia–Africa cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) at bilateral, trilateral and multilateral level through the regional bodies. We therefore, call for partnerships on cross-border cooperation for STI, Research Development and Innovation capacity building, human resources, strengthening the research enterprises and expanding partnerships and linkages through science diplomacy as vehicle for cooperation. We reaffirm our commitment to work with Russia and other African countries on STI on areas of mutual interest.

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The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and African States recognised by the United Nations, the Leadership of the African Union Commission and the executive bodies of the leading African integration organisations, as well as their representatives – participants in the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum – express their gratitude to the Government and people of the Arab Republic of Egypt for their contribution to organizing and hosting this event in Cairo and reaffirm their commitment to further working together to expand cooperation and ensure the success of the third 2026 Russia–Africa Summit on the African continent.