Russia-Africa summit to be attended by delegations from 48 countries, 22 countries to be represented by heads of state - Kremlin aide

MOSCOW. Oct 26 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the third Russia-Africa summit in Moscow on October 28-29, where he will give an assessment of the current state of international affairs during a plenary session and attend events on the forum's sidelines, his aide Yury Ushakov told journalists on Monday.

The summit will take place at the Grand Kremlin Palace and be co-chaired by African Union leader and Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye, Ushakov said. Of the 54 African countries, 48 have confirmed their attendance, and 22 of these will be represented by their heads of state, he said. At the previous such summit, in St. Petersburg in 2023, heads of state represented 17 African countries out of 48, he said.

Among those invited to the event are also heads of regional organizations: the African Union, African Continental Free Trade Area, East African Community, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the Southern African Development Community, Economic Community of Central African States, Economic Community of West African States, Maghreb Arab Union, and the African Export-Import Bank, Ushakov said.

"The summit attests to the special importance we attach to our relations with African countries. These relations rely on the time-tested traditions of friendship, mutual respect, equal rights and solidarity," Ushakov said.