RUSSIA: Russia has promised the United Nations General Assembly it will make good on its pledge to forgive $2.2 billion in debt for African nations as part of an agreement by major industrial nations to cancel more than $40 billion in debts to the world's poorest countries.
Moscow's UN ambassador, Andrei Denisov told a session of finance, foreign and development ministers on Tuesday that Russia "underlines our general support" of the Group of Eight industrial nations, whose finance ministers decided in London to cancel the debt of 18 countries.
"Thus, this year Russia intends to announce the cancellation of $2.2 billion for the poorest African states on a bilateral basis," he said.
Mr Denisov spoke during a two-day ministerial General Assembly session, which ended on Tuesday, on financing for development.
