Vladimir Putin sent Sunday his greetings to participants in the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union member states in Banjul.
"I would like to take this opportunity to confirm that Russia will continue participating actively in coordinated international efforts to provide comprehensive assistance to Africa, including in the context of Russia's presidency in the G-8 Group [of industrialized nations] this year," the document said.
Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said in February this year Russia intended to write off completely the debts of 16 of the world's poorest nations, mainly African countries.
Putin said Russia had always been committed to strengthening traditionally friendly relations and mutually advantageous cooperation with African states and their integration associations, especially the African Union, the most representative and influential pan-African forum.
