In a significant move towards strengthening ties between Russia and Africa, officials from the Russian Science and Culture Center visited the head office of the African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia today.
The delegation, led by the center’s director Mr. Alexander Yevsetignev, held a wide-ranging discussion with the president of the AFLEX, Mr. Zadig Abreha.
During the meeting, Mr. Zadig highlighted the long-standing strong relationship between Russia and Ethiopia, noting that the spirit of cooperation between the two countries has been growing in recent years.
He praised Russia’s ancient civilization and the patriotism of its people, stating that Russia had never harbored any colonial ambitions in its history.
“Russia has a rich and storied past, and the people of Russia are deeply patriotic,” said Mr. Zadig. “We at the African Leadership Excellence Academy have a great desire to work closely with Russian institutions to further our shared goals.”
The Russian delegation expressed delight at the visit, with Mr. Yevsetignev his surprise at the favorable environment for conducting studies and research at the AFLEX training facility in Sululta.
“We were thoroughly impressed by the state-of-the-art infrastructure and the dedicated staff at the Sululta campus,” said Mr. Yevsetignev. “The AFLEX is clearly an institution committed to academic excellence and we are excited about the prospect of collaborating with them.”
The two parties agreed that the discussion had opened the door for further cooperation, and they concluded the meeting by reaching an agreement to work closely on common issues. This included the possibility of AFLEX offering free education for second and third-degree programs through its educational institutions.
“This is an important step forward in strengthening the ties between Russia and Africa,” said Mr. Zadig. “We believe that this partnership will lead to many fruitful collaborations in the years to come.”