Putin hosts Russia-Africa Summit in effort to boost trade with continent

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his speech at the Russia-Africa summit in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Picture: Valery Sharifulin/TASS News Agency Pool Photo via AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his speech at the Russia-Africa summit in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Picture: Valery Sharifulin/TASS News Agency Pool Photo via AP

Published Oct 23, 2019

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Moscow - Russian President Vladimir Putin began a summit with

African leaders on Wednesday in the Russian resort city of Sochi as

his country looks to double trade with the continent in five years.

"I believe that it is fully within our power to double the volume of

trade in the next four or five years as a minimum," Putin said in a

speech at the plenary session of the Russia-Africa Summit.

Putin said trade had already more than doubled over the past five

years to more than 20 billion dollars - an amount he considered "too

small."

About a third of that amount - 7 billion dollars - is from trade with

Egypt, according to Putin's comments earlier in the day during a

meeting with Egyptian President President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi pose for a photo prior to the talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Picture: Sergei Fadeyechev/TASS News Agency Pool Photo via AP

Al-Sissi currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the African

Union, a pan-continental organization designed to strengthen ties

between Africa's countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and President, Cyril Ramaphosa pose for a photo prior to their talks on the sideline of Russia-Africa summit in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Picture: Sergei Fadeyechev/TASS News Agency Pool Photo via AP

The Kremlin expected the majority of Africa's leaders to attend the

two-day summit. "Heads of state and government of 43 African

countries will attend," Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said earlier this

week.

The United Nations recognizes 54 countries in Africa. The African

Union recognizes 55.

dpa

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