Trade Representation of Komi Republic — African Food Security & International Partnerships

Dr. Hussein Aref received an official invitation to participate as a keynote speaker at the joint meeting of the Club of Heads of Trade and Economic Missions of Foreign Embassies and the Council of Heads of Representative Offices of Russian Regions. The meeting, organized by the International Council for Regional Economic Cooperation in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of the Komi Republic to the President of the Russian Federation, was held in Moscow under the theme "International and Regional Partnerships: Regions of Russia – Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, BRICS, African Union." It addressed ways to enhance trade, economic, and development cooperation between Russian regions and foreign countries, with broad participation from representatives of embassies, government agencies, and economic institutions. The meeting, held on July 7, 2022, in Moscow, under the theme "International Partnerships between Regions: Regions of Russia – Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, BRICS, African Union," was organized in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of the Komi Republic to the President of the Russian Federation and lasted three hours with simultaneous interpretation provided. In his address, Dr. Hussein Aref emphasized a crucial point: the African continent possesses enormous potential, but realizing this potential begins with developing infrastructure and logistics networks. He explained that connecting farms to markets and facilitating transportation will protect produce and reduce losses. He also shared his personal experience with the Yalla Nusder platform and how to leverage and develop it to serve African exports. He further emphasized the importance of transitioning to "smart export policies," moving away from exporting raw materials and towards processing agricultural products and increasing their value before exporting them to global markets. He concluded by affirming that agriculture is not merely a profession, but the first line of defense for food security and the stability of nations, and that investing in it and its modern technologies is the winning bet for Africa's future.