adminSpecial Correspondent
IT has been 24 years since the first Congress of People’s Deputies of back then USSR adopted the Declaration on State Sovereignty of Russia on June 12, 1990. A year later, on June 12, 1991, Russia had the first in its history nationwide direct presidential elections.
Since then, this day is celebrated in Russia as the national day of the country — Day of Russia.
The Declaration of State Sovereignty proclaimed equal opportunities for all citizens, political parties and public organisations, the principle of separation of legislative, executive and judicial powers.
The adoption of the state’s new name — the Russian Federation (Russia), the new Constitution that reflects new political realities, the national flag, anthem and coat of arms of Russia became important steps in strengthening the Russian statehood.
The country has walked a long way since those days to become today a modern democratic state with a well developed economy, a key player in international politics.
Russia has successfully overcome the most difficult period of economic turmoil in 2008 and returned to pre-crisis indicators.
The economy is growing rapidly: by 4 percent per year, which exceeds the recovery rate in most leading economies. Russia’s sovereign debt remains at a minimum.
Today the country achieved the highest level of funding for research and development since the Soviet times, built an efficient system of development institutions and gradually decreased the energy intensity of the Russian economy.
Modern Russia has the highest life expectancy in its history.
It has increased by almost three years since 2006 and has reached just under 69 years.
Russia’s foreign policy has become more modern, working for the national modernisation goals.
Common Economic Space for Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan has been launched on January 1, 2012, and the free movement of goods will be followed by the free movement of services, capital and labour.
The aim is to create the Eurasian Economic Union by 2015, which will largely determine the future of these economies.
Russia is interested in finding mutually acceptable solutions to all crucial outstanding issues on the international agenda and ready for the political dialogue with all the sides.
In recent years, the leadership of Russia called for establishing international mechanism to prevent and eliminate the effects of disasters on the sea shelf, strengthening the international regime governing nuclear safety, the establishment of a new legal framework for energy security, the fight against piracy at sea.
Russia is looking forward to working with its international partners to implement these proposals.
The events of the past few years have demonstrated the relevance of Russia’s role as mediator in solving serious regional problems using political and diplomatic means without foreign interference or the use of force and, of course, under the auspices of the United Nations.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergei Lavrov has positively assessed the prospects of Russia-African Union relations co-operation as now Russia is actively involved in UN peacekeeping operations in the region and provides peacekeepers with training and supplies. Acting on its obligations as a reliable partner of Africa, Russia is donating US$2 million to the AU to fund its peacekeeping operations in West African countries and Somalia.
Moscow has also established ongoing relations with the AU and has its permanent envoy to the organisation in Addis Ababa.
However, Lavrov stated that bilateral co-operation has a greater potential as Russia’s trade turnover with African countries south of the Sahara is worth some US$4 billion, while China enjoys a US$120 billion turnover.
Special Presidential Representative for Co-operation with African countries Mikhail Margelov, and a number of other Russian high-level officials declare that Africa is a prospective region for Russian mining companies and Russia can offer technological products in the military, geological exploration and energy spheres.
There are also prospects for sales of Russian metallurgical and machine-building products in Africa.
According to Margelov Russia’s participation in oil and gas production is important as well since Africa will provide up to one quarter of the world’s oil output soon.
We must use our competitive advantages as we excel competitors under quality-price ratio in some industries.
Sergey Katyrin, President of the Co-ordination Committee for Economic Co-operation with Countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, noted that development of business cooperation with countries of Sub-Saharan Africa was an important vector of the Russian Chamber of Trade and Commerce’s international activities and a promising destination of foreign-economy co-operation for the business community.
Generally, the political and business co-operation, humanitarian contacts between Russia and African countries are gaining more and more positive momentum and first of all in the frames of BRICS.
We are sure that by joint efforts we can strengthen and diversify considerably all the range of the win-win contacts, to start implementing new mutually beneficial projects.
We cherish our all weather friendship with Zimbabwe.
Our political dialogue is excellent that makes a solid basis for further development of our multifaceted ties, first of all economic co-operation.
We are confident that given good will of our two countries, our interaction will develop from strength to strength to the benefit of the peoples of Zimbabwe and Russia.
- The Article was prepared by the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Zimbabwe Official web-site: www.ruszim.org.zw , www.twitter.com/RuEmbZimbabwe , www.facebook.com/RuEmbZimbabwe
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