Black Sea Resort City Of Sochi All Set To Welcome Guests Of First Russia-Africa Summit

SOCHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd October, 2019) Russia's Black Sea resort city of Sochi is showcasing full readiness to host the Russia-Africa summit and economic forum and welcome the guests from both sides of the equator, a Sputnik correspondent reported in the run-up to the landmark event for Moscow's ties with the developing region.

The inaugural Russia-Africa summit and business forum, co-chaired by the presidents of Russia and Egypt, will run from October 23-24. Over 40 African nations will be represented by heads of state or government at the summit, while 11 others will send their vice presidents, foreign ministers or ambassadors. The Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency is an official media partner of the event.

African delegations started arriving at the Sochi international airport on Tuesday. Upon the landing, they are warmly treated with bread and salt by Russian tradition.

The atmosphere in Sochi is usually quiet, while the district of Adler is buzzy in the run-up to the important event, with blue-colored banners announcing the Russia-Africa summit seen everywhere. The security measures have been also noticeably enhanced in light of arrival of high-ranking guests.

Most of them reside in the Imereti Lowlands, an area which hosts luxury hotels and the infrastructure built for the 2014 Winter Olympics. The Imereti Lowlands looks immensely green and clean, while warm weather, sea breeze and modern infrastructure provide a comfortable stay for the foreign delegates.

Many of the city's roads have been blocked, but no huge traffic jams are visible as local residents and tourists widely use bicycles and kick scooters when doing errands on short distances.

The so-called Guest Route linking Sochi's center and the Imereti Lowlands was personally inspected by mayor Aleksey Kopaigorodsky prior to the guests' arrival.

Several owners of the houses along this route were reportedly asked to renovate the facades or make fences more presentable.

On the eve of the summit's opening, some delegates could be seen taking a promenade at the Olympic Avenue along the Black Sea shore. Others are spotted among the diners at local cafes, experimenting, judging from the table view, with Russian cuisine dishes.