Vice President Taban Deng Gai (far right) greets officials at Juba International Airport before leaving for Russia. (Photo: Courtesy)

Vice President for Infrastructure Cluster Taban Deng Gai on Tuesday departed to Russia for the second Russia-Africa Summit this week.

Vice President Deng, who was accompanied by ministers and diplomats, will represent President Salva Kiir at the summit St. Petersburg.

His accompanying delegation includes Acting Foreign Minister Deng Dau Malek, Minister of Mining Martin Abocha, and the First Undersecretary in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Kuol Daniel Ayulo.

The second Russia-Africa summit will take place on July 27-29, as Moscow and the Western nations compete for influence in Africa.

According to Reuters story, the Russia-Africa summit will discuss Moscow’s grain and fertilisers exports.

Last week, Russia withdrew from the year-long Black Sea grain deal that ensured the safe export of Ukrainian grains, saying that Russia’s conditions for the extension of the deal had been ignored.