06:42Russia: Moscow is 'reliable and sincere partner' for Africa - Mali Representative Malik Diaw
Mali’s President of National Transitional Council Malik Diaw claimed that Russia was a 'reliable and sincere' partner for African countries, while speaking on the sidelines of the second Russia-Africa International Parliamentary Conference in Moscow on Monday.
"In this multipolar world, Russia appears to us in every respect as a reliable, serious and above all sincere partner, who is absolutely sincere in wanting to help us in our development and in building a secure life," he stated.
Meanwhile, Simplice Mathieu Sarandji, chairman of the National Assembly of the Central African Republic, added that African countries could decide for themselves who their allies were.
"We are sometimes told that the Russian Federation is trying to manipulate your country, but we don't agree. Do you really think we do not have brains and do not understand where our friends are real friends and where they are false friends? No, we understand perfectly well," he concluded.
Speaker of the South African National Assembly Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula added that Russian President Vladimir Putin himself had said that African states would become leading countries in the formation of a 'multipolar world'.
"It is something <…> we should take very seriously and commit ourselves to this creation of multipolar world," Mapisa-Nqakula noted.
The second Russia-Africa International Parliamentary Conference takes place in Moscow on March 19-20 under the guidance of the State Duma. Delegations from 40 African countries are taking part, including more than 200 parliamentarians of various ranks. Putin is expected to address the conference on March 20.
The conference is a preparatory event in the run-up to the Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg on July 27-28.
06:42Mali’s President of National Transitional Council Malik Diaw claimed that Russia was a 'reliable and sincere' partner for African countries, while speaking on the sidelines of the second Russia-Africa International Parliamentary Conference in Moscow on Monday.
"In this multipolar world, Russia appears to us in every respect as a reliable, serious and above all sincere partner, who is absolutely sincere in wanting to help us in our development and in building a secure life," he stated.
Meanwhile, Simplice Mathieu Sarandji, chairman of the National Assembly of the Central African Republic, added that African countries could decide for themselves who their allies were.
"We are sometimes told that the Russian Federation is trying to manipulate your country, but we don't agree. Do you really think we do not have brains and do not understand where our friends are real friends and where they are false friends? No, we understand perfectly well," he concluded.
Speaker of the South African National Assembly Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula added that Russian President Vladimir Putin himself had said that African states would become leading countries in the formation of a 'multipolar world'.
"It is something <…> we should take very seriously and commit ourselves to this creation of multipolar world," Mapisa-Nqakula noted.
The second Russia-Africa International Parliamentary Conference takes place in Moscow on March 19-20 under the guidance of the State Duma. Delegations from 40 African countries are taking part, including more than 200 parliamentarians of various ranks. Putin is expected to address the conference on March 20.
The conference is a preparatory event in the run-up to the Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg on July 27-28.