TASS plans to boost presence in Africa — deputy director general
MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/. Russia’s TASS news agency intends to strengthen its presence in African countries, Deputy Director General Mikhail Petrov announced at the opening of the 4th International Forum "Russia-Africa: What’s Next?" and the 1st Forum of Young Diplomats Russia-Africa.
"Our agency has been watching Africa with great interest for a long time. So far, compared to the Soviet period, we do not maintain such a large-scale presence in Africa — we currently work in only six countries. We have plans to increase our presence on this continent," Petrov said.
According to the agency’s estimates, around 400 media outlets across Africa enjoy TASS reports. "These are small steps that allow us to get closer to each other," he added.
Petrov also highlighted the contributions of TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman to fostering media ties with Africa, noting his long-running interview series Formula of Power. "All this allows us and our African partners to better understand each other and build more productive interaction," he said.
He reminded attendees that TASS is not only the general media partner of the current forum, but has also served as media partner of the Russia-Africa summits in 2019 and 2023. "At the heart of these forums, we assembled a media summit, which allowed us to discuss topical issues in direct dialogue with representatives of more than 20 African states — from the fight against neocolonial practices to technological and sanctions challenges," Petrov noted.
He added that discussions on these issues continued in 2024 during a media forum held with TASS support on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. "Such a multimedia dialogue, in our opinion, helps promote cooperation in other areas as well, and builds mutual trust, which should form the foundation of sound and effective collaboration," Petrov concluded.
TASS is the general media partner of the 4th International Forum "Russia-Africa: What's Next?".
