By Elena Teslova
MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday work is underway to open embassies in another three African countries - Sierra Leone, Niger and South Sudan.
Speaking at a reception for heads of diplomatic missions on the occasion of Africa Day, Lavrov said Russia will further seek enhancing its diplomatic presence on the continent.
"In Russia, we are pleased to note that Africa continues to steadily gain political weight and establish itself as one of the most important pillars of the emerging polycentric world order," he said.
Lavrov said Russia and Africa have historically been united by close ties of friendship, Moscow always backed the African nations in their anticolonial struggle, supported young African states, provided economic and technical assistance in the formation and development of national economies, and helped to ensure reliable defense capability.
"Today, the tasks of combating new colonial and neocolonial practices are coming to the fore. The West's methods have changed, but the essence of its policy towards African countries has remained the same – to subordinate everyone to its will, to live at the expense of others, using more sophisticated forms of exploitation within the framework of a 'rules-based order'," he stressed.
He assessed prospects of the Russian-African cooperation as having "huge potential," noting that in 2023 the trade turnover between Russian and the continent increased by 30% to some $25 billion.
"We will continue to work together to engage in full the existing potential in order to bring our relations to the level of a truly strategic partnership," the minister said.