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As part of the ongoing partnership, a meeting was held with the Secretary General of the African Tourism Board (ATB), Hiwotie Anberbir, and representatives of the Roscongress Foundation to discuss prospects for tourism cooperation between Russia and Africa.

The African side presented the formats of joint work with foreign partners, paying special attention to the organization of joint outbound events, proposing to hold them in Russia, South Africa and Egypt in the format of a business mission of Russian potential investors in the African tourism industry. ATB expressed readiness to involve its contacts in the tourism ministries of African countries to support the proposed actions.

According to Alexander Stuglev, Chairman and CEO of the Roscongress Foundation, today comprehensive work is underway to implement applied initiatives aimed at expanding cooperation. “At the past Let’s Travel! Tourism Forum we signed a document on strategic partnership in the sphere of Russian-African business, commercial and recreational tourism with the African Tourism Board.  We see great potential for the development of our relations with African countries and are ready for proactive cooperation. Our meeting is a discussion of concrete initiatives of the two sides. I am convinced that a roadmap of our joint actions with the council will be approved in the near future,” he said.

As a result of the meeting, proposals were received from ATB on joint initiatives that can be implemented within the framework of the roadmap of cooperation with the Roscongress Foundation. The draft roadmap and the concept of organizing roadshows with the participation of Russian partners are being prepared by ATB and will be presented in the near future. In addition, during the meeting, African colleagues expressed interest in continuing dialogue with the Russian Ministry of Economic Development on the promotion of mutual Russian-African tourism.

Russia is interested in developing tourism with African countries. The strategic format of cooperation is fixed in the Action Plan of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum for 2023–2026. In particular, the focus of the work is aimed at increasing cooperation and business contacts in the tourism sector; strengthening institutional links, including with continental and regional tourism industry structures; introducing best practices in the area of tourist safety and access to medical and related tourism services in Russia and Africa; encouraging business participation in tourism development activities such as tourism fairs, exhibitions and festivals; and supporting national tourism development projects.