VP Taban Deng

South Sudan’s Ambassador to Russia says the Vice President for Infrastructure Cluster will hold sideline meetings with Russian officials and companies to discuss bilateral cooperation.

Russia is holding its second summit with African leaders to try to bolster ties after suffering international isolation for its invasion of Ukraine.

Ambassador Chol Tong Mayai said the ongoing summit will deliberate on economic issues, security development, humanitarian, and infrastructure in Africa.

The two-day economic forum started early on Saturday and will end tomorrow July 28.

About 50 African countries have confirmed their participation at the summit.

Vice Deng is in St. Peterburg, Foreign Minister Deng Dau, and Mining Minister Martin Abucha as well as Finance Ministry Undersecretary Kuol Daniel Ayulo, are in St. Petersburg for the summit.

Tong said they are arranging a sideline meeting for the South Sudan delegation to engage the Kremlin oil and gas investment.

“Some of the issues that will be discussed at the summit are issues to do with security, development, humanitarian, and infrastructure,” Ambassador Tong said speaking on State Television – SSBC.

“We have arranged some side meetings for him (Taban) with some top Russian officials and some companies in the oil and energy sector and in the infrastructure on the 30^th the vice president will attend a gathering with President Putin on the 30^th.”

The summit comes a month ahead of a summit of leaders of the BRICS countries due to take place in Johannesburg.

South Africa has said that Putin, who is the subject of an international arrest warrant for his actions in Ukraine, will not be attending in person.