CAIRO, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum kicked off on Saturday in Egypt's capital Cairo, bringing together representatives from Russia, more than 50 African countries, and several regional organizations.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, speaking on behalf of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, opened the forum in a speech broadcast by state-run Nile TV, saying the meeting reflects the continued development of Russia-Africa relations and aims to serve shared interests while promoting security, stability, and development across Africa.

He emphasized that reforming the international order should be built upon principles of justice and balance among countries in a way that reflects true multilateralism, noting that Africa's demographic, economic, and political weight warrants an influential voice in shaping major international decisions.

Abdelatty also underscored that regular political dialogue between African countries and their international partners is essential to building mutual understanding, strengthening trust, and coordinating positions on regional and international issues of shared interest.

Representing the Russian President, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said African countries have enormous economic and human potential that play an increasingly important role in international politics.

Lavrov reiterated that Russia places special importance on strengthening friendly relations and partnerships with African nations based on mutual respect, highlighting the success of efforts to revitalize constructive cooperation frameworks across various fields.

The Russian foreign minister said Moscow continues to support African countries in strengthening national security, addressing food security challenges, combating terrorism and extremism, and responding to environmental disasters and major epidemics. Enditem