The inaugural Russia-Africa summit and business forum, co-chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah Sisi, is scheduled for 23-24 October in Russia's Sochi. There will be 54 African nations taking part in the Summit, with 43 of them represented by their heads of state or governments, APA reports citing Sputnik.
President Paramasivum P. Vyapoory, the acting leader of Mauritius, has said that he was expecting to discuss bilateral ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin at their tete-a-tete meeting scheduled during the upcoming Russia-Africa forum in the Russian city of Sochi.
"Let me start by first commending the decision by President Putin to come up with such a great idea to have this very first Russia-Africa summit here in Sochi. I would like, of course, to have the opportunity to meet President Putin and, in fact, there is a tete-a-tete, a one-to-one meeting, which is on the programme, when I will be meeting him to discuss global issues of mutual interest to Russia and Africa and more particularly between Russia and Mauritius", President Vyapoory said.
He has added that Russia and Africa enjoyed a good relationship over the past decades, with $20 billion in trade in 2018 alone.
"We expect now, with this Russia-Africa summit, that trade and other bilateral and multilateral relations will be further strengthened and developed … As regards Mauritius, in particular, there is great potential for development in a number of sectors, such as health, education, and fishing among others", he further stated.
Mauritius Remains Open to Russia's Lukoil and Rosneft Joining Port Louis Development Project
The Mauritian President went on to say that his country aims to attract the interest of Russian petroleum companies, such as Lukoil, Rosneft, and Tatneft, in fuel operations at the Port Louis Harbour.
"In line with government vision to enhance economic cooperation with the Russian Federation, the Mauritius port authority is putting in place a strategy aimed at attracting leading Russian petroleum companies, including Gazprom, Lukoil, Rosneft and Tatneft to expand their range of bunkering activities at Port Louis harbour. There is work for your [companies] there. We need scientific and technical assistance to undertake the offshore exploration of non-living resources, that includes minerals, and to make an economic evaluation of the mineral resource potential within this exclusive economic zone of ours. We would, therefore, welcome Russia as a trusted partner in this endeavour", Vyapoory said.
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