Putin supports further development of Russia-Africa cooperation, Russia's role in ensuring food security

MOSCOW. July 26 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has reaffirmed Moscow's intention to further develop cooperation with Africa and to work jointly to secure solutions to problems such as fighting poverty and ensuring food security.

"It is important that our cooperation with Africa has reached a new level in recent years. We intend to continue to develop it: to promote trade and investments, deepen cooperation and to work jointly on urgent problems such as fighting poverty, advanced workforce training, ensuring food security, and climate change. And of course we will continue to help African partners in every possible way to strengthen their national and cultural sovereignty and play a more active role in tackling regional and global issues," Putin said in his greetings to the participants and guests of the Russia-Africa economic and humanitarian forum.

"Russia supports the African states' drive toward social and economic stability and progress," the president said in the address published on the Kremlin website.

Putin said he is confident that "the forum will give an additional impetus to our political and humanitarian cooperation in the long term, will become an important event in Russian-African relations and will make them even more integrated and comprehensive."