The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf this afternoon addressed the plenary session of the Third Russia–Africa Summit in Moscow. The session was co-chaired by H.E. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, & H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Republic of Burundi and Chairperson of the African Union.
In his remarks, the Chairperson @ymahmoudali expressed appreciation for the warm & cordial welcome extended to all delegations. He underscored that the participation of African Heads of State & Government in the Summit reflects the importance they attach to strengthening cooperation & advancing mutually beneficial relations with the Russian Federation.
He reaffirmed the AU’s commitment to respecting the sovereign choices of its Member States in pursuing their development priorities, while advancing the vision of an integrated, prosperous & peaceful Africa. He emphasised that these efforts remain guided by Agenda 2063, the continent’s strategic framework for inclusive & sustainable development & the realisation of the aspirations of its people.
Highlighting Africa’s vast agricultural & mineral resources, the Chairperson stressed the importance of ensuring that these resources generate tangible benefits for the continent’s population. He underscored the need to promote local processing, value addition & industrialisation to enable African countries to capture greater value from their natural endowments.
He further emphasised the importance of equitable & favourable access to international capital markets to support Africa’s development ambitions. In this regard, he welcomed the establishment of the African Credit Rating Agency as an important step towards strengthening Africa’s financial sovereignty & addressing persistent challenges in credit ratings.
He also called for comprehensive reform of the international financial architecture to ensure that it is more equitable, inclusive & responsive to the development needs of African countries.
On global governance, the Chairperson reiterated the African Union’s longstanding position on the need for equitable & fair representation of Africa in the UN Security Council, in line with the Ezulwini Consensus & the Sirte Declaration.
He also called for renewed international attention to the historical injustices of colonialism, including efforts to address its legacy & advance recognition of colonialism as a crime against humanity.
Addressing the challenges posed by technological disparities, the Chairperson stressed the need to bridge the digital divide, expand access to technology & strengthen Africa’s digital capabilities. He underscored the importance of enhanced cooperation with the Russian Federation & other international partners in promoting technology transfer, innovation, capacity-building & digital transformation in support of Africa’s development priorities.
President Putin thanked the Chairperson for his remarks & expressed Russia’s appreciation for the partnership & cooperation with the AU Commission. He reaffirmed the strategic nature of #Russia–AU Commission relations & commended the Commission for its role in strengthening this partnership & advancing a shared spirit of cooperation.
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