At the end of the second Russia-Africa Summit in Saint Petersburg, a high-level meeting was held on the evening of 28 July 2023 at the Expo Forum between the delegation led in person by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul BIYA, and a delegation of Russian dignitaries headed by President Vladimir Putin.
This historic encounter served as a framework for exchanges on the practical methods of implementing joint projects with a view to strengthening bilateral cooperation.
The organisation of this meeting demonstrates the interest of the leaders of the two countries to strengthen the excellent and longstanding relations, established since 1962. They affect crucial areas for both countries, namely: education, security, agriculture, energy, health, and technology. Cameroon and Russia are in favour of a new and more flexible partnership.
In his opening remarks, President Vladimir Putin welcomed the rise in economic exchanges between Russia and Cameroon. He noted with satisfaction an increase in the number of young Cameroonians benefiting from training in various fields in Russia and the growing interest of Cameroonians in learning the Russian language, as evidenced by the opening of a cultural center in Douala. Finally, President Putin thanked Cameroon for the support given to Russia at the UN.
In return, President Paul BIYA wished, first of all, to thank President Putin for having invited him to participate in the St. Petersburg Summit. The Head of State then praised the quality of the hospitality reserved for him and his delegation. The Cameroonian leader also appreciated the smooth organisation of the summit. “We came because we are countries linked by diplomatic relations for decades (…) We came because this summit will further strengthen the cooperation ties between the Russian Federation and Cameroon”, he said.
