Iran ready to comprehensively develop coop. with Africa

During a meeting with the participants in the First Economic Cooperation Summit of the Islamic Republic of Iran with West African Countries on Monday evening, Ebrahim Raeisi emphasized Tehran's readiness to comprehensively develop cooperation with African countries, especially the western countries of the continent.

The President described Africa as a rich continent with an efficient human force and rich and plentiful reserves and stated, "In the past centuries, Western countries have looted the wealth of these countries by exercising colonial rule, but the development of relations with Africa for the republic Islamic Iran is not for the wealth of this region, but for the development and welfare of all nations, including African nations."

Raeisi emphasized the importance of recognising the capacities, resources and fields of cooperation and exchange of experience between Iran and West African countries, and referred to the remarkable progress of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the fields of technical engineering, medical equipment, medicine, nanotechnology, agricultural equipment, biological technologies and science and modern technologies, despite the imposition of extensive sanctions against Iran.

He addressed the participants in the economic cooperation summit of the Islamic Republic of Iran with West African countries, saying, "You can get to know these developments and capabilities of Iran through a personal visit and receive the message that the determination and perseverance of a nation can turn all threats and sanctions into opportunities and bring that nation to progress."

The President also emphasised Iran's readiness to transfer knowledge and new technologies to brotherly and friendly countries including African countries, planning to facilitate the activity and participation of the private sectors of Iran and these countries, including the removal of cumbersome and ineffective regulations and tariffs.

Raeisi called the proposal of this summit to develop economic cooperation between Iran and African countries, especially in the fields of energy, technical-engineering, transportation, agriculture and mining, as an effective and constructive measure for the development of relations between the parties.

He added, "The current statistics of trade and the exchange of experience between Iran and Africa has not been acceptable, and according to the capacities and efforts of the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran and West African countries, it is expected that the cooperation and economic and commercial relations between them will see a transformation even more."

The President referred to the common and similar threats of Iran and Africa through terrorist movements supported by outsiders and powers outside the region and added, "With its human and natural talents and capacities, Africa can make significant progress by uniting and standing against colonial policies and we believe that the conditions are ripe for cooperation and helping this development and progress."

Raeisi advised the officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the West African countries who were actively present at the Tehran meeting to seriously follow up and implement the resolutions and decisions of this meeting.

In the meeting, a number of ministers, deputy ministers and officials of the countries that participated in this meeting expressed their opinions regarding the fields of development and strengthening of scientific and economic cooperation between Iran and the countries of the West African continent.

While thanking the Islamic Republic of Iran for its attention to African countries and the initiative to hold such a summit in Iran, these officials expressed their satisfaction with the agreements reached, especially in the commercial and financial fields.

Preparation and planning for the development of economic relations through the expansion of investments and the creation of diverse transportation lines, interest in using Iran's capabilities in scientific and research technologies, and the proposal to develop cooperation in the fields of agriculture and mining, were among other topics of the speeches of the ministers and other African officials present in the meeting.