Putin discusses results of Lavrov’s visits to Africa with Russian Security Council

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday met with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council to discuss the results of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s recent visits to African countries.

"Sergey Lavrov was preparing the Russia-Africa summit and visited several friendly countries. Let us ask him to begin the meeting with a report about his visits," Putin said opening the meeting.

Lavrov visited Mali, Mauritania, and Sudan, and Iraq in the Middle East on February 6 through 9. On January 23-26, he paid visits to South Africa, Eswatini, Angola, and Eritrea.

Roscongress said earlier that the second Russia-Africa summit and economic forum were planned for July 26-29. The first such summit was held in Sochi from October 22-24, 2019 under the motto "For Peace, Security and Development."

Monday’s meeting was attended by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, speaker of the Federation Council, or upper parliament house, Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of the State Duma, or lower parliament house, Vyacheslav Volodin, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, presidential administration chief Anton Vaino, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin, Russian presidential envoy for environment protection, ecology and transport Sergey Ivanov.