An inspection group in charge of preparing for and conducting the Russia—Africa Summit in Sochi in October 2019 held a working trip to the city on 13–14 March. The delegation included Advisor to the Russian President Anton Kobyakov, Krasnodar Territory Governor Veniamin Kondratyev, Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Roscongress Foundation Alexander Stuglev, and representatives of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs, among others.
As part of the visit to Sochi, the group visited the summit venues, including the Olympic Park Main Media Centre, one of the largest congress complexes in the country, in order to get an idea of the capabilities of the infrastructure to host African leaders and the numerous guests of the summit as well as the first economic Russia—Africa Forum, which has been timed to coincide with the summit. Kobyakov, who led the delegation, described the upcoming summit as significant in terms of developing international cooperation. «Sochi has an excellent heritage in this regard. In both the winter and the summer, the city hosts world-class global international events, such as the Olympics, the World Festival of Youth and Students, and many others. This is the result of the efforts made by the organizers, the regional administration, and, of course, the citizens who want to show the best side of our country to the world. I am certain that Sochi will be a hospitable capital for the summit’s guests», Kobyakov said.
The meeting agenda also included multifaceted issues concerning the accommodation of the event’s participants, logistics, and security.
Issues concerning relations between Russia and Africa are traditionally discussed at major international events organized by the Roscongress Foundation. For example, the Russia—Africa Business Dialogue has been held on a regular basis at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum since 2016. The first Russia—Africa Energy Roundtable was held during Russian Energy Week in 2018, and business representatives from the Republic of South Africa took part in the Eastern Economic Forum for the first time.
