The session was moderated by Mr. Sergei Krasnov, a TV presenter for RBC TV channel.
All participants in the discussion noted that the current stage of economic development and the political situation on the African continent create unique opportunities for business development, including high-tech ones. The fact that in many countries the work is carried out from scratch is also an advantage, since upgrading old equipment and technologies is often more expensive and longer than using advanced developments at once.
Ms. Natalia Zeiser, the Chairman of the Board of the African Business Initiative, noted that the digital economy is one of the key areas for cooperation between Russia and African countries. At the same time, it should not be limited only to technological solutions, but should include broad social processes, including those related to the development of education. "Russia should promote its strengths - projects in the energy sector, transportation and logistics.
And, of course, it is necessary to pay attention to the development of human capital in order to educate the future generation, utilizing qualified personnel, who will continue to use these innovative technologies," the speaker stressed.
This idea was supported by Mr. Vardanyan, the Vice President of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In his opinion, Russian specialists should work together with the trained local staff. It is important to engage African people as teachers, who are well aware of the mentality and customs of their native countries, the expert noted.
Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo, the Director of Development for Africa at Yandex, said that the strategies for entering different markets are very different and depend not only on technical parameters, but also on the prevailing mentality and even language. The service has already been launched in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. In each country, about twenty partner companies are involved in the project, while the Yandex.Taxi prefers to use specialists from Russia. According to Mr. Adebayo, the success of the project has been largely ensured by the support of "Big Yandex, which has diverse competences".
In turn, Mr. Dmitry Komissarov, the General Director of New Cloud Technologies LLC, a developer of packet office applications, shared the fact that the company has already signed contracts in Burundi and Congo. The rapid growth of the continent's population, with the number of inhabitants reaching one billion, and the speed of sales of mobile phones, make African partners a priority for the company.
Another participant of the session, Mr. Alexey Logashev, the General Director of “Novy Tekhnologii” (New Technologies), shares this opinion. The company is engaged in promoting alternative energy sources, including energy production from waste, as well as waste disposal technologies. In the near future, the company plans to sign contracts with representatives of twelve African countries, and this is just the beginning.
Summarizing the discussion, Mr. Platonov, the President of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry, noted that Russia and Africa should not be considered as teachers and students, "this is a partnership, the development of which helps both sides."