FACTBOX - Russia-Republic Of Congo Relations

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd May, 2019) Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso in Moscow on Thursday.

Diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and the Republic of the Congo were established on March 16, 1964.

Between then and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the two states shared socialist aspirations and worked together extensively in various areas. An additional boost was given to bilateral relations during official visits of Congolese parliamentary and government delegations to Moscow in 1965, 1975 and 1981.

From 1992 to 1997, relations between the two countries were at a low with the pro-Western president, Pascal Lissouba, in power in Brazzaville. Political consultations between the foreign ministries were maintained regularly, but the economic and humanitarian ties diminished significantly. Following the 1997-1999 Congo Civil War, bilateral ties were frozen.

In 1997, Sassou Nguesso became the head of the republic and spoke in favor of resuming cooperation with Russia in all areas.

In 2006, Sassou Nguesso, who at the time was also chairman of the African Union, took part in an expanded G8 summit with African countries in Russia's second largest city of St. Petersburg.

On November 13, 2012, Putin met with Sassou Nguesso during the latter's official visit to Russia. The presidents discussed the development of bilateral relations in the economic, energy, infrastructure, transport and humanitarian sectors. The meeting resulted in the two countries signing an agreement to build an 830-mile oil pipeline that would go through the cities of Pointe-Noire, Yie, Oyo and Ouesso in the Republic of the Congo.

The two countries also maintain interparliamentary relations, and a dialogue through various ministries and departments.

Russia and the Republic of the Congo then started to regularly exchange their positions on global and regional issues on the basis of the 2001 Protocol on Consultations, signed between the two countries' foreign ministries.

In September 2012 and October 2013, Russian Special Presidential Representative for the middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov came to the Republic of the Congo for working trips, during which he held talks with Sassou Nguesso.

Bogdanov met with Sassou Nguesso again in January 2015 on the sidelines of the 24th Session of the Assembly of the African Union in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

In March 2017, Congolese Foreign Minister Jean-Claude Gakosso traveled to Moscow to meet with Russia's top diplomat, Sergey Lavrov, and discuss a variety of political, humanitarian and economic issues.

That year in November, Gakosso made a private visit to St. Petersburg, where he spoke with acting Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of St. Petersburg Sergey Markov. He also gave a lecture at the St. Petersburg State University.

Russia and the Republic of the Congo also enjoy close economic and trade cooperation. According to the� Russian Federal Customs Service, bilateral trade in 2018 amounted to $38.4 million, which is $15.6 million more than in 2017.

Russia's Primary exports to the Republic of the Congo include wheat products, while major imports include coffee, wood, pulp and paper products, precious metals, and gems.

There are prospects for partnerships in the fields of energy, oil production, machinery and equipment, and geological exploration.

The Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic and Scientific and Technological Cooperation plays a key role in building up bilateral ties. The commission held its fourth meeting in Brazzaville in December 2016.

On March 14, 2017, the two countries announced the creation of a Working Group on Military-Technical Cooperation.

On February 13, 2018,� in Moscow, Russian state nuclear company Rosatom and the Ministry of Scientific Research and Technological Innovations of the Republic of the Congo signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on the peaceful use of atomic energy.

The training of Congolese staff in Russian universities is also an important area of cooperation. Over 7,000 citizens of the Republic of the Congo have received education in Soviet and Russian universities since the establishment of bilateral relations.

The Russian Center of Science and Culture operates in Brazzaville. In 2014, the Russkiy Mir Foundation, an organization promoting Russian language worldwide, opened its office in the Congolese city of Pointe-Noire.