The forum was held as a part of the implementation of Russia's international strategy to develop and strengthen trade, economic, social and cultural relations with countries of the African continent as well as building a stronger institutional foundation for Russian-African cooperation. The Forum was a continuation of the second Russian-African Public Forum held on November 5, 2020. The event served as an important and promising confirmation of friendly relations of parties as well as one of resources for attracting the attention of public organizations, business community, media and government institutions in Russia and Africa. Due to the difficult epidemiological situation caused by the spread of the coronavirus infection Forum events were held in a hybrid format.
Cooperation between Russia and African countries in working with youth has particular importance for the further strengthening of friendship and partnership between states. The need to intensify international relations in the field of youth policy, the establishment of contacts between international youth organizations is dictated by the fact that young people are perceived as a strategic resource of each state. International youth cooperation is one of the most important factors in ensuring economic and political stability in the world.
Holding the Youth Russian-African Public Forum with the aim of organizing a dialogue platform will allow all participants in this project to interact, during which current issues will be resolved and new ideas from both representatives of the Russian and African sides will be proposed for implementation.
Purposes:
- Development of humanitarian cooperation between Russia and African countries,
- Activation of international relations in the field of youth policy, establishment of contacts between international youth organizations.
80 people from Russia and African countries took part in Forum events. Broadcasts were conducted on such Internet platforms as YouTube and Facebook. More than 300 participants attended the online event as listeners including representatives of relevant youth departments and higher educational institutions, leaders of youth associations, students from Russia and Africa as well as young Russian compatriots living in African countries.
Outcomes: The Forum has become a platform for discussing the interaction between Russia and African countries on the widest range of issues with special attention being paid to the development of youth policy.
During the plenary session "Youth of Russia and Africa: the path to rapprochement" topical issues of building up cooperation between Russia and African countries in the field of youth policy, interaction between youth of states in numerous areas of public life were discussed in detail.
As a part of the panel session "The role of foreign students and alumni in the Russia-Africa dialogue" the session discussed the lack of sufficient information about Russian universities as well as step-by-step instructions for admission to them for compatriots living abroad as well as problems of interaction between Russian youth organizations and young compatriots. Issues of choosing a particular university, entering a university in Russia were discussed. Participants shared their personal experience and problems (registration, internship for compatriots with dual citizenship, difficulties with employment).
Participants also discussed issues of interaction aimed at helping compatriots abroad and at possible assistance from their side in establishing cultural and other contacts with their country of residence given the great importance of the life experience of compatriots in the local environment, knowledge of local characteristics, etc.
As a part of the panel session "Youth cooperation between Russia and Africa for Sustainable Development, Peace and Security" it was emphasized that effective interaction between youth of Russia and Africa is an integral, essential part of the development of economic, political and humanitarian cooperation.
As a result of the forum, a resolution was adopted.
During the meeting of the committees following proposals were put forward:
- The need for cooperation between the CELAC states and the Russian Federation to develop a strategy to eliminate domestic violence was emphasized,
- A proposal was made to create a dialogue mechanism for young doctors in Russia and Latin America to exchange experience,
- The importance of intensifying the dialogue between young entrepreneurs in Russia and Latin American countries for the development of joint mutually beneficial projects was emphasized. The need to develop measures to support tourism was noted,
- The need to enshrine the right to access to the Internet as an inalienable right of every human being and enshrine it in relevant international legal instruments was stressed,
- The need to intensify student exchanges between Russia and countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and creation a single educational platform for youth of these countries,
- The idea of creating a single digital platform to provide citizens of Russia and CELAC countries with access to cultural heritage sites was voiced,
- The need to encourage the study of the Russian language in Latin America and the Caribbean and the languages of the CELAC countries in the Russian Federation including endangered indigenous languages was stressed.
