On April 17, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Mankeur Ndiaye, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad of the Republic of Senegal, who had come to Moscow on a working visit.

During a substantive discussion of practical issues of Russia-Senegal cooperation, Moscow and Dakar’s mutual commitment to expanding political, trade and economic, investment and humanitarian relations was affirmed. Also, the two ministers noted significant potential for stepping up their partnership by implementing promising joint projects in geological prospecting and exploration of mineral resources, shipbuilding, energy, fishing and infrastructure, as well as by stepping up direct business-to-business contacts, including through chambers of commerce and business associations of Russia and Senegal. Moreover, an agreement was reached on exchanging experience in working with compatriots living abroad.

The ministers also had a substantial conversation on key issues on the international and regional agendas, with an emphasis on unblocking the crisis situations in Africa, in particular in the Sahara-Sahel region, the Central African Republic, Mali, Libya, South Sudan, Guinea-Bissau and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mr Lavrov gave a detailed account of Russia’s efforts aimed at a prompt political settlement of the Syrian crisis.

The Foreign Ministers expressed a common view in favour of establishing a broad counter-terrorist front with the central coordinating role of the UN on the basis of international law and free from any double standards. In this connection, a high level of understanding between Russia and Senegal was underscored, and the countries’ commitment to further cooperation within the UN and on other multilateral platforms was confirmed.