The countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) intend to negotiate a free trade zone with African nations, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk following a meeting of EAEU prime ministers.
"There are several other countries, including African nations, with which we also plan to hold negotiations [on a free trade zone]. These countries have already been notified, and we are awaiting their response," the deputy prime minister said, as quoted by TASS.
Overchuk noted that the meeting also addressed the development of trade and economic ties with foreign partners of the EAEU countries. In particular, the sides paid significant attention to existing trade agreements as well as work on new ones.
The 47th meeting of the EAEU Intergovernmental Council is taking place on August 6-7 in Kyrgyzstan, with participants including Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Belarusian Prime Minister Alexander Turchin, and Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.
At the end of March, Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov called on EAEU countries to expand trade and economic cooperation with the Arab world, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
In January, the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) decided to reinstate Namibia on the list of developing countries eligible for the EAEU's unified system of tariff preferences.