Current progress in preparations for the Second Russia-Africa Summit (2022) was presented at the third meeting of the Coordination Council for the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum by Vsevolod Tkachenko, the Director of the Department of Africa at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Oleg Ozerov, the Ambassador-at-Large and Head of the Secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum. The presentation took place in Moscow on the 30th of June and was attended by representatives of AFROCOM as well as other public bodies.
At the Summit, the parties are likely to address the resumption of regular flights between Moscow and African capitals: long overdue - having been under discussion since at least 2006.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the targets of the summit will be determined in the near future. The venue for the Summit will be chosen in the 2H2021 by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and three Foreign Ministers representing the current, previous and future Chairs of the African Union.
Having considered issues discussed at the Russia-Africa conferences held in 2021, statements of officials and relevant decision makers, it is safe to presume the central topics which could possibly be addressed at the summit in 2022. First, there might be general targets such as increasing trade turnover between Russia and African countries, as it was at the first summit in 2019, when Vladimir Putin urged that it should be doubled by 2025.
In addition, the parties are likely to address the resumption of regular flights between Moscow and African capitals: long overdue – having been under discussion since at least 2006. Even before the Summit flights might be resumed with Egyptian resort destinations such as Sharm al-Sheikh and Hurghada. The ban was imposed in 2015 following the terrorist attack on a Russian jet. In early 2021 the Russian Ambassador to Egypt Georgiy Borisenko mentioned that Russia was considering resuming charter flights. Since then, it has also been mentioned by president Putin and president Al-Sisi.
The establishment of a direct Investments Fund for Africa by Russia is also under consideration.
The establishment of a direct Investments Fund for Africa by Russia is also under consideration. According to Alexander Saltanov, Head of the Association of Economic Cooperation with African States, the conceptual framework has already been developed and is now being carefully reviewed by the relevant government bodies. The Fund might become the source of financing for Russian initiatives on the continent.