Russia supports the African Union’s involvement in international associations, and backs the initiative to grant Africa a seat at the G20, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said, adding that Moscow expects such a decision to be made at the G20 summit in India in September.
"We support the involvement of the union in the work of leading international associations, and I recall that Russia was one of the first to respond positively… to the initiative to grant the African Union a full-fledged membership in the G20," Putin said at the meeting with Chairman of African Union and President of Comoros Azali Assoumani.
The Russian president added that Moscow expects G20 to make it’s decision on the African Union’s membership at the next summit in New Delhi.
Putin also noted taht Russia and African countries had managed to increase economic ties despite difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic and sanctions, with their mutual trade growing by almost 35% this year.
"Despite difficulties related to the coronavirus pandemic and illegal sanctions against Russia, we have managed to increase trade and economic relations [with Africa] ... over the first half of this year, trade increased by almost 35%," Putin said at a meeting the chairman of the African Union, President of the Union of the Comoros Azali Assouman.