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MOSCOW. — As the epidemiological situation begins to stabilize through mass vaccination and building herd immunity, the 24th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is finally set to take place on June 2-5, 2021. 

This unique Russian forum is expected to bring together politicians, corporate business directors and investors from different parts of the world. 

In this interview by Kester Kenn Klomegah especially for potential African participants, chief executive officer of the Roscongress Foundation and head of the coordinating council under the secretariat of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum (RAPF) Alexander Stuglev describes it as a unique platform for networking and getting acquainted with top Russian executives of leading companies and business associations. It thus helps in laying a firm foundation for further cooperation. Here are the interview excerpts:

Kester Kenn Klomegah (KKK): Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov noted that African issues are supposed to be included in the programme of the upcoming St Petersburg International Economic Forum. Can you kindly give us a roadmap of specific programmes and its significance for African participants coming to St Petersburg this June?

Alexander Stuglev (AS): First of all, I would like to note that the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, in its time, has become a sort of a gauge of the mounting interest in the development of Russia-African business cooperation: between 2015 and 2019 the number of forum participants from African countries grew five times. Every year since 2016, as part of the SPIEF business programme, we host a Russia-Africa roundtable, which has become a traditional meeting place for Russian and African business and government and in whose discussions the heads of African states, among others, took part many times.

This year, the African agenda will also play an important part in the Forum business programme. In the course of the scheduled Russia–Africa business dialogue we plan to discuss a wide range of our cooperation: food security; the Russian approach to solving healthcare problems in African countries, taking into account the economic aftermath of the pandemic; Russian investment and participation of our business in key infrastructure projects on the African continent. I invite our African colleagues to take the most active part in the upcoming Forum discussions.

KKK: African landscape is changing with more foreign players. In assessing the reality of developments and competition for geopolitical influence, what are your views? With this focus on Africa at the St Petersburg Forum, do you consider it as a gateway to reach the market of the African region?

AS: You are right, many countries are expressing interest in Africa today, but this is no surprise when you take into account the huge potential and opportunities of the African continent. I believe that major players will keep growing more active on the African scene and we should be ready for it. All in all, I have a positive attitude toward competition. I believe that in any line of business it helps growth and stimulates progress, the important thing is that it should be fair competition.

As for your question regarding the gateway to the African market, I believe that the key point here is regularity and systematic approach. St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is, undoubtedly, one of the most important stages in the development chain of the entire range of mutually beneficial Russia-Africa cooperation. Yet, it is important to realise that you cannot land in a foreign market immediately. There is a lot of work to be done beforehand in order to set mutually respectful and trustful relations, to learn the culture and so on. – IDN.