On August 31, in Sochi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Foreign Minister of the State of Eritrea Osman Saleh who is in Russia on a working visit.

A range of issues was discussed in detail that were related to further progress in Russian-Eritrean mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, the economy and the investment area. The discussion included an exchange of opinions with a focus on promoting joint projects on exploring mineral resources and creating infrastructure facilities. The sides expressed mutual intention to step up practical interaction in the areas of higher education and professional training.

The foreign ministers re-affirmed Moscow and Asmara’s adherence to deepening the dialogue and the close coordination of approaches based on the fundamental principles of international law. When discussing current regional issues, attention was given to searching for ways to settle conflicts and stabilising the situation in Africa based on the “African solutions to African problems” approach as expressed by the African Union. It was noted that the positive developments on the Horn of Africa, including the ongoing normalisation of Eritrea’s relations with Ethiopia and Somalia, contributes to favourable conditions for various Russian industries to expand their activities in the subregion.