Your excellency, Mr. President, dear friends, I'm happy to see you. Our previous negotiations took place also on the sidelines of brick summit in Kazan. However, we maintain regular contacts. Last year we had a pleasure to compare notes on all relevant agenda with your vice president that took a part at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum at your instruction. The ties between Russia and South Africa are developing quite successfully. Last week, September the 5th, we marked the 20th anniversary of our foundational agreement that was signed in 2006. The treaty on friendship and partnership between our two states. Our political dialogue and parliamentary ties are advancing. Foreign ministers are in close contact as well. Our trade volume is um not moving forward so fast but nevertheless it increases and remains at the good level. We maintain regular contacts in humanitarian sphere in education and personal training for the years 2026 2027 we increased the quota scholarship quots. We share similar [clears throat] approaches to international agenda. We appreciate that you support Russian initiatives within the United Nations and of course Russia pays particular attention to the comprehensive development of African states in general. We are preparing in a robust manner to the third summit Russia Africa which will take place in Moscow from October 28 to October 29th. Among main subjects are digital technologies, artificial intelligence, peaceful use of fatom, food security and so on. And we do expect to have a representative delegation from your state. Your excellency, dear friend, I'm happy to see you. >> Thank you very much, President Putin. It's always a real pleasure to see you uh because uh that gives us an opportunity to continue to strengthen our relations and also advance uh the various areas in which Russia and South Africa have dealings in. And I wish to thank you once again for Russia's support for South Africa's G20 presidency and for your country's support for South Africa's priorities. Many people believe that uh the G20 that was held in South Africa was very successful and in large measure it was also due to the support that we received from Russia. It was not an easy summit but we were able to to overcome the challenges from those who uh did not want to uh fully participate. But uh it was a good summit and I wish to convey our appreciation to the continuing significant progress in our bilateral relations. Uh trade obviously needs to be much better but it is uh continuing and there are a number of areas in which our trade relations can improve and we need to focus on that as well. Uh and thank you very much for receiving our vice president who came to the investment forum and uh the discussions that took place there have helped to strengthen relations between our two countries. And in a number of areas we find that uh our two governments cooperate well in the 18th session of the intergovernmental committee on trade and economic cooperation IT which took place in Moscow in April 2025. Uh that too extended our relations. It was an important opportunity to also review the progress and to identify new areas of collaboration and the appointment of South Africa's ambassador to Moscow has been outstanding but we will be appointing an ambassador soon and I am honored by your invitation to attend the Russia Africa summit uh during the October month in Moscow. Uh we are having local government elections exactly a few days thereafter. So I will be in the middle of a very vigorous campaign and uh will therefore not be able to honor your invitation. However, South Africa will be represented and uh we are obviously very interested in hearing from you about the developments that continue to take place uh in the various conflicts that are happening in the world. And uh we are also grateful that we've been invited uh to participate in the pathways to peace second international conference uh which will be taking place in Canada. So we will want to hear your views on that as well uh because we would like to attend to see how best uh we can continue advancing our relations. Now, South Africa will continue working with yourselves in various international forums uh to contribute to the broader international efforts aiming at securing uh peace around the Vote.