Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani concluded his two-day visit to Moscow, returning to Nouakchott on Thursday. He participated in the third Russia-Africa Summit, held at the historic Gostiny Dvor building under the theme "For Peace, Security, and Development." The summit brought together 48 African countries, with 22 represented at the level of heads of state.
On the sidelines of the summit, Ghazouani held several meetings and signed agreements with Russian officials. Mauritania's Minister of Justice, Mohamed Ould Asweidat, and his Russian counterpart, Konstantin Chuychenko, signed two agreements in the criminal field. The first agreement pertains to the extradition of wanted individuals, while the second concerns the transfer of convicted persons.
The Russia-Africa Summit was co-chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, who is the current chair of the African Union. In his opening speech, Putin described Russia and Africa as "allies" in building a multipolar world order. Ndayishimiye emphasized that the continent seeks partners to help it develop its resources locally, rather than merely exporting raw materials.
According to Putin, the current trade turnover between Russia and Africa exceeds $27 billion. The two-day summit featured a plenary session, an economic forum, and a dinner hosted by Putin in honor of African leaders. Ghazouani also attended a working session on Wednesday, where he engaged with other African leaders and Russian officials.
Initially, it was announced that Ghazouani would hold a bilateral meeting with Putin on Friday, October 30. However, there has been no official confirmation of this meeting. The Kremlin had previously stated that the two leaders would discuss ways to strengthen ties between their countries.
During his visit, Ghazouani also witnessed the signing of a cooperation protocol between Mauritania's national television and Russia's RT TV channel. The agreements and meetings aim to strengthen cooperation between Mauritania and Russia in various fields, including justice, economy, and media.
The Russia-Africa Summit concluded with the adoption of three final documents and the signing of around 33 agreements between Russia and African countries. The summit marked the first participation of Ghazouani in this event since his absence from the second edition. The outcomes of the summit are expected to enhance cooperation between Russia and African nations.
Key points
- 48 African countries participated in the summit, with 22 represented at the level of heads of state.
- The trade turnover between Russia and Africa exceeds $27 billion.
- Two agreements were signed in the criminal field, including extradition and transfer of convicted persons.
