29/05/2024
“Africa is ready to accept everything”: business prospects on the continent were discussed in St. Petersburg
The event is designed to strengthen ties between Russian and African businesses, as well as show promising areas for cooperation with the continent.
In total, representatives of 18 countries took part in the African International Congress, which was held at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Co-chairman of the congress, rector of the Eurasian International University Konstantin Klimenko emphasized that African countries perceive Russian investors positively. However, to develop cooperation, it is necessary to increase interaction not only at the level of heads of state, for example, to expand the institution of honorary consuls to the African region.
We want to help African countries select activists who will receive honorary consul status. They will be able to promote their interests in various regions of Russia. Conversely, we must help our partners form an institution of public consuls who will work in African countries. Especially where there are no our embassies,” says the rector of the Eurasian International University, Konstantin Klimenko (Bogdanov).
Also, to develop cultural exchanges, Klimenko proposed creating a single Russian-African information space, as well as a “Russian House” and a “Russian Language Center” in Africa. The implementation of these projects is scheduled for 2024-2025.
However, in order to further increase trade turnover between Russia and Africa, according to Klimenko, it is necessary to help foreign partners create an environment that is friendly to business. In particular, the expert noted that the speed of company registration in Africa is significantly lower than in Russia. Therefore, the Russian Federation could share its competencies in this matter, and simplification of procedures will help develop not only international business in the region, but also local ones.
The founder of Bespalov Finance , co-founder of the investment and consulting group Afroinvest, Alexander Bespalov , admitted that Russian business remains biased towards the African region. However, in most cases, the information available to Russian entrepreneurs is not credible. To overcome stereotypes, a communication platform is needed for interaction between representatives of Russia and Africa.
This is a synthesis of public and business diplomacy and interstate relations. We have created a platform where you can informally communicate even with officials and diplomats and implement joint projects. Both Russian projects in Africa and African ones in Russia. Now we have taken a new look at Russian-African relations, but at the same time we understand that years before this, Russian business looked at Africa quite skeptically. First of all, because there was a lot of things nearby, like Europe. Now the political situation has changed and, naturally, entrepreneurs began to look at other regions,” noted Alexander Bespalov.
According to the expert, in Africa it is possible to develop almost any direction that may be of interest to Russian business. In addition to traditionally popular projects in the fields of energy and subsoil use, IT projects are also in demand in the region.
В Петербурге открылся Африканский международный конгресс. - Деловой ...
