Ladies and Gentlemen,

Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of Africa Day.

This year is marked by anniversaries: the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the formation of the United Nations, as well as the 65th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. The defeat of Nazism and the collapse of the colonial system were the most important events of the 20th century, paving the way for free and peaceful development for all humankind.

Over the past decades, independent African States have established themselves as respected members of the world community and achieved universally recognised economic and social success. Multilateral cooperation established within the framework of the African Union, as well as a number of sub-regional entities, contributes to strengthening security and stability on the continent.

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Our country has consistently supported the expansion of traditionally friendly relations with African partners. This is fully evidenced by the Russia-Africa summits held in 2019 and 2023, which made it possible to identify new areas of cooperation and facilitated coordination of efforts in international affairs.

A new dialogue format - the ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum - is yielding positive results. The next such meeting is planned to be held before the end of the year in one of the African countries.

I am confident that through joint efforts we will ensure further expansion of multifaceted Russian-African ties - for the benefit of our peoples, in the interests of building a fair and democratic multipolar world order.

I wish you health and success, and peace and prosperity to the citizens of your countries.

Vladimir Putin