In what seemed to be an expression of brotherhood and solidarity, the visiting Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso expressed homage to the “courage and resilience of the Russian people” as President Sassou-Nguesso began his state visit to Russia on Tuesday.
Throwing light on the development, the meeting between Congo’s head of state, President Sassou-Nguesso, and Russian President Vladimir Putin took place at the Kremlin on Thursday. Before the media, President Sassou-Nguesso expressed admiration for the Russian people over the strength they were showing to handle huge problems.
“Your country has shown great courage in the face of strict sanctions that were put on it as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, and perhaps other nations,” President Sassou-Nguesso said to President Putin.
He further added that this was a time when people should come together in the face of hard times: “It is in these great ordeals that we need to come closer and forge ahead.” This visit also heralded 60 years of diplomatic relations between Brazzaville and Moscow, an occasion President Sassou-Nguesso expressed gratitude for.
“This was the place where African nations found the ability to fight back against colonization and strive for their independence. This struggle has a carrying on in the forms, as African peoples are still fighting to get real independence,” he said. Sassou-Nguesso expressed his hopes that another sixty years would see more efficient cooperation between the two states.
The President of Russia expressed gratitude to his Congolese counterpart for his support on the international tribune and awarded him with the Order of Honor, a high Russian decoration.
This Friday, the state visit by President Sassou-Nguesso will carry on in St. Petersburg before his departure to Dubai, scheduled on Saturday. During his sojourn, he had met with many representatives of Russian companies. He mentioned in an interview possible future collaborations saying, “I will not say more for the moment, but we consider that Lukoil, Russia’s biggest oil producer, could become operator of the oil licenses in Congo, and therefore join in the gas and oil sector.”
The visit underlined rising ties between Congo and Russia, showcasing mutual support and prospectively deepening economic collaboration between the two countries.