On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed his plans to formulate trade agreements with four African Arab nations. He emphasized the importance of engaging all countries across the expansive African continent.
In a meeting with Russian government officials, Putin remarked, “We are in the process of preparing free trade area agreements with Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria.”
The Russian President further highlighted the continent’s potential by stating, “There are numerous ‘points of development’ across the continent and there are incredibly fascinating countries. Thus, it’s crucial that we don’t overlook other areas.”
He also underscored the potential benefits of leveraging political collaboration with African nations to augment economic exchanges. Putin stated, “They regard themselves as friends of Russia, and we reciprocate by treating African countries as our friends. We need to convert this level of political trust into an economic collaboration.”
Putin’s announcement points towards Russia’s strategic intent to expand its economic ties with the burgeoning North African region. This development is indicative of Russia’s continued attempts to diversify its trade alliances and strengthen its international economic standing.
