Russia to help African countries with electricity production - Putin

MOSCOW. March 20 (Interfax) - Russia is willing to continue helping African countries build power plants, including nuclear ones, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"We will continue to help African countries in the production of electricity, of which the continent still has only a quarter of its needs," he said in his speech at the Russia-Africa in Multipolar World international parliamentary conference.

"Today, we offer new environmentally friendly technologies, primarily in the field of nuclear power," Putin went on to say.

In particular, he noted that Rosatom is already building a nuclear power plant in Egypt and planned to expand its participation in the development of domestic energy systems in Africa.

"Russia is providing significant, in some countries, 100% financing. These are serious projects totaling $15 billion, $20 billion, $25 billion," Putin said.

The president also pledged that Russia is "always willing to share its technologies with African countries, and offers precisely the joint multidimensional technological development."

Putin emphasized that Russia "is conscientiously fulfilling all its obligations to supply food, fertilizer, fuel and other products vital for the continent, thus contributing to both food and energy security."

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