President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa departed for the Russian Federation on Tuesday, 22 October 2019 where he will be leading the South African delegation to the first Russia-Africa Summit.

The event will be held on Wednesday and Thursday in Sochi. The main focus of the forum will be the key areas of cooperation between Russia and African countries.

Three discussions will be addressed: “Forging Economic Ties,” “Creating Joint Projects,” and “Collaborating in the Humanitarian and Social Sector.”

The summit among other reasons is aimed at deepening friendly relations between the Russian Federation and Africa continent at both bilateral and multilateral levels.

South Africa’s participation at the inaugural summit was in line with the South African Foreign Policy pillar. The foreign policy encourages South-North Cooperation in various technical fields and the promotion of economic development.

The government revealed that “Bilateral relations between the Republic of South Africa and the Russian Federation are at optimal level and continue to grow from strength to strength.”

On 28 February 1992, South Africa and the Russian Federation established diplomatic relations. Russia is the country’s strategic partner with regards to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement.

The agreement was signed in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal in 2013. Over 38 Bilateral Agreements and/or memoranda of understanding emphasize the strategic nature of the two countries’ relationships.

This is seen in how both countries adopt “common positions around key issues facing the world at the United Nations, African Union and other international forums.”

Ramaphosa’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the margins of the BRICS Summit in July 2018, further strengthened relations. The pair signed a Declaration on the Strategic Partnership between South Africa and the Russian Federation.