Official from Central African Republic discusses possibility of Russian business joining economic projects in his country
MOSCOW. April 19 (Interfax) - A high-ranking official from the presidential administration of the Central African Republic has discussed with Russian Foreign Ministry officials the possibility of Russian economic operators joining energy and mineral resource exploration projects in his country, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its website.
Visiting Minister of State in charge of Development and Strategic Investment of the Central African Republic Pascal Bida Koyagbele met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov in Moscow on Monday, the Foreign Ministry said.
During the meeting, the parties discussed ways to strengthen relations between Russia and the Central African Republic with a focus on broadening mutually beneficial trade, economic, and investment cooperation.
"At the same time, the parties discussed the possibility of interested Russian economic operators contributing to the implementation of projects in the fields of mineral resource exploration, energy, infrastructure, and agricultural production in the territory of the Central African Republic," the ministry said.
Pyotr Ilyichev, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department of International Organizations, said earlier in the day that more than 500 Russian military specialists are now in the Central African Republic, and there is no need to increase their number.
Russia is also working to secure a softening of the arms embargo imposed on the Central African Republic, Ilyichev said.