🇷🇺🎙 Statement by Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Chumakov on “The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD): Progress in Implementation and International Support” and “Promoting Lasting Peace through Sustainable Development in Africa” at the Second Committee of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly.

New York, 12 October 2026

Key takeaways:

▪️Africa continues to face the challenge of achieving lasting peace. This cannot be accomplished without addressing the root causes of conflict, including poverty, underdeveloped economies and infrastructure, intercommunal and ethnic tensions, and the activities of numerous terrorist groups.

▪️The origins of today’s crises did not emerge in the 21st century. Experience, including in Africa, shows that many conflicts are a legacy of colonialism - a system that disrupted the natural historical development of peoples, arbitrarily drew borders and imposed economic structures designed to serve the interests of colonial powers.

▪️Various forms of neocolonialism persist. Interference in domestic affairs and pressure through unilateral sanctions keep countries trapped in poverty, fuel social tensions and undermine stability.

▪️The painful legacy of the colonial era must not be swept under the rug.

▪️In this context, we note the African Union’s decision to extend for another 10 years its 2025 theme: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.”

▪️An important achievement of joint Russian-African efforts within the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations was the adoption, at its initiative, of a UN General Assembly resolution on 5 December 2025 proclaiming 14 December the International Day against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations.

❗️Russia continues to support African countries, both bilaterally and through the United Nations.

▪️A major upcoming event will be the Third Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled to take place in Moscow on 28-29 October.

▪️Trade, economic and investment cooperation, alongside the practical implementation of agreements reached earlier, will be central to the summit’s agenda.

🇷🇺🤝🌍 Russia stands ready to further strengthen cooperation with its African partners in support of sustainable development and a more just system of international relations.

Read the full statement

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