Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to maintain grain supplies to African countries and strengthen Moscow’s strategic partnership with the continent.
Putin made the commitment on Thursday during a joint news conference with Burundi’s President, Evariste Ndayishimiye, in Moscow, following the Third Russia-Africa Summit.
He said Russia would continue supplying grain to African countries on both commercial and humanitarian terms.
“Russia will continue to play the role of a responsible supplier of grain crops to Africa; we will do so, as before, on both a contractual and a gratuitous basis,” Putin said.
The Russian leader described African countries as natural partners in efforts to establish a new multipolar world, adding that Moscow was committed to building a strategic and multifaceted relationship with the continent.
He also called for greater African representation in global decision-making institutions, including permanent seats for African countries on the United Nations Security Council and increased representation in international financial institutions.
Putin said Russia and African countries maintained close diplomatic cooperation through bilateral and multilateral platforms, including the United Nations.
On energy cooperation, he said the two-day summit, which began on Wednesday, featured extensive discussions on projects aimed at developing Africa’s power sector.
He noted that Russian companies were involved in electricity generation projects across the continent, including conventional power generation and nuclear energy.
Putin added that Russia had observed growing interest among African countries in large-scale power plants and small modular nuclear reactors, expressing Moscow’s readiness to work with interested countries.