The history of relations between the USSR, and then Russia with Congo-Kinshasa, was not easy. Against the background of the intervention of Western countries, including Belgium, France and the United States, in the internal affairs of the Congo, both in the early 1960s and later, the Soviet Union provided significant assistance to the young republic in defending national interests and preserving territorial integrity. Despite the widespread anti-Soviet propaganda in those years, our country managed to create an image of a reliable political partner. Today, this is a good prerequisite for the revival of ties and positive dynamics of relations between Russia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in all areas of cooperation.

Keywords: Zaire, Patrice Lumumba, Congo, UN Mission in the DRC.

The Chronicle of Soviet / Russian-Congolese Relations 1 contains a lot of interesting and exciting material about the symbol of freedom Patrice Lumumba, separatist Moise Tshomba, dictator Sese Seko Mobutu. The style of documents is outdated, the paper is yellowed, the typewritten letters are uneven, but all this reproduces an era of struggle and confusion that has sunk into oblivion. Various, sometimes unique newsreel images about these relationships are collected and carefully preserved not only in Russia, but also in the archives of France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States.

With the beginning of perestroika, not only the Congo, but the whole of Africa as a whole receded into the background in the foreign policy of the USSR, and then Russia. However, in the DRC, they believe in the rapid revival of the world role and influence of the Russian state, and they believe in the restoration of former friendly relations. In this regard, a quote from the letter of Brigadier General Bulenda Padiri of the Ninth Military District of the Eastern Province of the DRC to the author is clear: "We, the Congolese, consider your country as the cradle of patriotism. I myself am a preacher of the ideology of this high feeling. Our country has always lacked this, and the consequences of this have affected all areas of our lives in the worst possible way. Help us awaken the sense of patriotism that exists in your country among our compatriots. I would also like to appeal to all Russians to use all opportunities for full cooperation with the DRC. We need Moscow's presence to be felt in all areas." The Western media cannot " erase from the historical memory of Africans the appeal of the image of a geographically distant northern country... However, the positive potential accumulated during the Soviet era in all spheres of relations is decreasing. It requires immediate and thorough feeding " [Korendyasov, 2007, p. 15]. One might add to this thesis that the only serious one is

1 From 27 October 1971 to 17 May 1997 - Republic of Zaire (République du Zaire), with Kinshasa as its capital. DRC is often confused with the Republic of Congo, with its capital in Brazzaville.

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The "capital" that Russia has left in Africa is graduates of Soviet / Russian universities.

Now everyone is talking about the Chinese presence on the African continent. There is the phrase "yellow colonialism". At the same time, Beijing is not concerned about human rights or the state of democracy in other countries, and in a number of African states, its activity already causes allergies among local authorities. Against this background, Russia retains the image of a country that liberates colonial peoples. The Soviet Union / Russia never acted as a colonizer in relation to Africa, did not participate in the slave trade and predatory exploitation of natural and human resources.

On January 20, 1960, the same day that negotiations opened in Brussels between the Belgian Government and the leaders of three dozen parties and other organizations of the Congolese people on the future independence of the Belgian Congo colony, the CPSU Central Committee adopted a highly secret resolution " On expanding cultural and public relations with the Black peoples of Africa and strengthening the influence of the Soviet Union [Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU..., 1999, vol. 2, p. 165].

Shortly before that, the USSR Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea, PI Gerasimov, met with the Chairman of the National Movement of the Congo, PI Lumumba, to discuss the prospects of Soviet-Congolese relations. At the same time, the ambassador emphasized that the Soviet Union does not have any vested interests in Africa, since it "has a huge territory and it has everything necessary in sufficient quantity" [Recording of the Ambassador's conversation..During the meeting, which was strictly confidential, Lumumba hinted at the desirability of providing financial assistance to his party for conducting propaganda within the country, including against anti-Soviet fabrications, and " asked to study the possibility of admitting to Soviet educational institutions several students from the Congo who, after completing their studies in the USSR, could to be the core of the leading cadres of the independent Congo" [Ibid.]. In response to this request, our Government not only granted scholarships to the Congolese side, but also later named the Peoples ' Friendship University (UDN), established in February 1960, after this political and public figure of the DRC. As the DRC Ambassador to Moscow, M. Mutchail, noted in an interview with Russian television on February 18, 2010, " no one but the Soviet Union has named their solid institute after Patrice Lumumba."

Our country was among the first to recognize the independence of this Central African State, which ranks second after Sudan in terms of territory on the African continent. The situation in the former Belgian colony in those years was difficult to predict in comparison with the neighboring French colonies, which gained independence in relatively calm conditions. At the time, Moiz Tshombe, leader of the pro-Belgian Konakot party, was hatching the idea of separating the most mineral-rich province of Katanga from the Republic of the Congo. "A civil war has begun in the Congo with tragic consequences for the civilian population. The remnants of tribal relations (tribalism) and separatism, incited by the colonialists, became acute. The Belgians provoked the separation of the richest province of Katanga from the Congo, putting their protege Tshombe at the head. The Kasai province of Congo, famous for its diamond deposits, was also on the verge of secession. There is a real threat to the country's territorial integrity and independence" [Najestkin, 2003, p. 154].

The division of the country was also in line with the strategic interests of the West, in order to increase tribal hostility in order to weaken the already weak central government. In July 1960, Belgian paratroopers landed in the administrative center of Katanga province Elizabethville 2 and Leopoldville 3, despite the protests of P. Lumumba. In this regard,

2 Modern Lulumbashi.

3 Modern Kinshasa.

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President of the Congo J. Kasavubu and Prime Minister P. Lumumba sent a joint telegram to N. S. Khrushchev, which, in particular, stated: "In the face of the threat hanging over the neutrality of the Republic of the Congo from Belgium... Perhaps we will ask for the intervention of the Soviet Union if the Western camp does not stop its aggression against the sovereignty of the Republic of the Congo. At the moment, the Congolese state territory is occupied by Belgian troops, and the lives of the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister are in danger" [Telegram with information about the Belgian aggression...]. The Soviet response was immediate. It expressed strong support for the legitimate authorities of the Congo, as well as wishing success in activities aimed at ensuring the national interests of the Congolese people.

The Soviet Union was one of the first to recognize the independence of the Congo and provided political, diplomatic and economic support to the government of the first Prime Minister P. Lumumba, as well as to his colleague and successor Antoine Gizenga, who proclaimed his government in Stanlyville [Declaration gouvernementale..., 1961, p. 2]. Subsequently, this prominent political figure spent a long time in the Soviet Union, hiding from persecution and persecution.

Officially, diplomatic relations between the USSR and the Republic of the Congo were established on July 7, 1960. But in the most difficult years, the "struggle" for Africa was interrupted twice (in 1960 and 1963) at the initiative of the Congolese side. They were fully restored as a result of negotiations between the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the USSR to the Republic of Congo-Brazzaville I. S. Spitsky and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade J. M. Bomboko on November 30, 1967 [Communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations..., 1984, p. 53]. Although there were no official relations between the two countries during this period, an active exchange of messages and telegrams continued at the governmental level on the occasion of significant dates and events.5 In them, the Soviet side expressed sympathy for the Congolese people, and the Congolese side, in turn, thanked the USSR for its readiness to support the Congo in the struggle to preserve the unity and territorial integrity of the country [Sbornik osnovnykh dokumentov..., 1984, p.5].

The USSR has always consistently advocated the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Belgian troops from the territory of the Congo. The letter of the Permanent Representative of the USSR to the United Nations V. A. Zorin to the President of the UN Security Council dated January 25, 1962 on the Congolese question stated the need to take decisive measures against the separatist regime of Tshombe. "Tshombe ignores the UN decisions and continues the continuous line of separation of Katanga from the Congo. "Negotiations" are conducted with him, he is persuaded, armed gangs of mercenaries are left at his disposal, and in fact they give him the opportunity to receive money from other countries... new weapons and replenishment of the armed forces.... Such activities must be stopped immediately "[Pravda, January 28, 1962].

At the same time, relations between the two countries were far from cloudless. Diplomatic immunity was violated, and various provocations were unfairly attributed to the Soviet people who were in the Congo. In response, the Soviet leadership reacted in accordance with established international rules. So, in the note of the Government of the USSR to the Government of the Congo (Leopoldville) about the wrong-

4 Modern Kisangani.

5 For example, in a government telegram from Sofia dated April 17, 1964, the Minister of Foreign Trade of the Congo Rodolphe Yav congratulates N. S. Khrushchev on his birthday, and in a telegram from Brussels on October 20, 1964, Prime Minister M. Tshombe" on behalf of the Government and people of the Congo " congratulates N. N. Kosygin on his appointment to the post of President of the Republic of The post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR [Sbornik osnovnykh dokumentov..., 1984, pp. 37, 42].

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According to the measures taken by the employees of the Congolese security service Surte nacional, who committed an act of arbitrariness and violence against Soviet diplomats in Leopoldville (adviser to the USSR Embassy in the Congo B. S. Voronin and embassy attache Yu. N. Myakotnykh), it was stated that " security service agents stopped the embassy's diplomatic car, in which the above-mentioned Soviet diplomats were located, fired at it, despite the stated protest, a search was conducted, the diplomats were beaten, their clothes were torn, and they were taken to the Okhrana and then to prison. The demands of the Soviet embassy for the immediate release of Soviet diplomats were not met by the Congolese authorities" [Pravda, November 23, 1963]. The staff of the Soviet embassy in the Congo was declared persona non grata. On the same day, a squad of paratroopers and plainclothes okhrana agents was installed around the building of the USSR Embassy. It should be noted that these grave violations of the Vienna Convention, which was adopted in 1961 and is signed by the Republic of the Congo-Leopoldville, developed against the backdrop of a powerful smear campaign against our country.

V. A. Subbotin, an employee of the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1925-2003), who was part of the delegation to Leopoldville in 1960, recalls: "The city newspapers, which are apparently run by the Belgians, blame extreme nationalists and Moscow's henchmen for the economic confusion and unemployment. In one of the newspapers there is a cartoon on duty: a python with the inscription "USSR" strangles an unfortunate African " [Subbotin, 2004, p. 284]. Radio Brazzaville, a source of political news, reported that "all the troubles are from Russia, all around Russian agents, secret and explicit" [Ibid.].

Later, on January 29, 1965, N. P. Khokhlov, a correspondent of the newspaper Izvestia, was captured and thrown into prison in Leopoldville by the Congolese Okhrana under the pretext of an alleged illegal stay in the territory of the Congo [Pravda, February 5, 1965] .6
Mobutu Sese Seko Toure's rise to power7 marked a new stage in Soviet-Congolese relations. Just like the previous period, it cannot be called serene. In many ways, the development of friendly relations was hindered by the ideological attitudes of the ruling People's Movement for Revolution party. Its manifesto stated that "the Zaire revolution has nothing to do with Beijing, Moscow, or Cuba" [Manifeste du Mouvement populaire..., 1967, p. 32]. Nevertheless, attempts were made on both sides to establish contacts in various fields of activity. Thus, in 1968, important negotiations were held between the Soviet Union and then-Zaire, which determined the main directions of cooperation between the two countries. In 1972, an agreement was signed on scientific and cultural cooperation with institutes of Moscow and other cities of the USSR; in 1974-on air communication; in 1976-on general principles of economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation; on trade; on maritime navigation; in 1983-on cultural and scientific cooperation. 1999-on military-technical cooperation. The deterioration of bilateral relations occurred in the period 1977-1978. The West has accused the Soviet Union, Cuba and Angola of directly supporting the rebels in Shaba province. 8 As a result, the Zaire ruling circles initiated another freeze on Soviet-Zaire relations.

On May 15, 1970, four employees of the Soviet Embassy in Zaire were declared persona non grata and ordered to leave the Congo. Our country has protested. The Note dated May 20, 1970 states:: "The Soviet side considers it necessary to draw attention to the fact that the Congolese newspaper Progre published malicious fabrications against the Soviet Embassy and its employees,

6 Khokhlov's visa was issued by the Embassy of the Congo in Brussels.

7 Years of government: 1965-1997.

8 In July 1960, Katanga declared itself the independent State of Katanga, which led to an armed conflict with the central authorities of the Congo. In January 1963, the province was returned to the country with the participation of UN peacekeeping forces. From 1971 to 1997, it was officially called Shaba.

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fabrications that are undoubtedly fabricated by external forces seeking to distort the peace-loving foreign policy of the Soviet Union in the eyes of the Congolese people" [Note of the USSR Embassy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zaire..., 1984, p.80].

Our country is involved in the resolution of conflicts in the DRC. Back in 1990, when the question of dividing the Congo was raised on the UN agenda under the pretext that the country was too large to govern only Kinshasa, the USSR advocated the territorial integrity of the DRC's borders.

The overthrow of the dictatorial regime of Mobutu created favorable conditions for the normalization of Russian-Congolese relations. Subsequent DRC President Laurent Désiré Kabila formulated provisions on special relations with Russia, which were then confirmed by his son Joseph Kabila, who was appointed President of the DRC by the Transitional Government in 2001 and legitimately elected in the 2006 presidential election.

At the same time, the military-political situation of the DRC at the turn of the last and present centuries remained extremely tense. The country has been gripped by a multi-year crisis that has affected more than a dozen African countries and affected the fate of millions of people. Nowhere else on the continent has there been such a complex interweaving of internal circumstances with the intervention of external forces as in the DRC. The country's ethno-political divisions, which resulted in a civil war (1998-2003), were reinforced by the contradictions of other countries, primarily Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. As a result, the multinational conflict reached such proportions that it was rightly called the "first world African war", and the situation in the DRC - "the greatest humanitarian tragedy of our time" [Braeckman, 2006 - 2007, p. 65]. Years of bloodshed have drained human resources, undermined the national economy, and pushed the country's 60 million people below the poverty line.

Russia has consistently supported the political settlement process in the DRC, taking an active part in the initiatives of the international community, primarily the UN. Following the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement between the warring Parties in the DRC in Lusaka, Zambia, on 10 July 1999, which also included provisions on the control of illicit arms trafficking and the entry of armed groups into Congolese territory, the UN Security Council reaffirmed the need for all States to refrain from any interference in each other's internal affairs, and called on all States to On August 6, 1999, UN Security Council Resolution 1258 on the establishment of the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC)was adopted. 9, which, along with other Blue Helmets, included Russian peacekeepers.

The holding of national elections in the DRC in 2006, the establishment of legitimate institutions of power, as well as the "open door" policy pursued by President J. Kabila in relation to foreign partners opened up new opportunities for the further development of Russian-Congolese relations, which are now characterized by positive development trends. There are objective prerequisites for the development of dialogue, including in matters of interaction in the international arena within the framework of international organizations, which is largely due to Russia's active position in the UN Security Council and political support for the peace process-

9 MONUC's tasks include the protection of civilians, UN personnel and facilities, the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of foreign and Congolese armed groups, training and mentoring the DRC armed Forces in support of security sector reform, and strengthening democratic institutions. In the context of the ongoing fighting in the east of the country, political and socio-economic instability, MONUC is entrusted with a key role in ensuring peace and security, strengthening and developing democratic institutions, and neutralizing illegal armed groups. Since July 2010, the UN Mission in the DRC has been renamed the DRC Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO).

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the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the tangible participation of the Russian Federation in MONUC.

Cooperation between Russia and the DRC in the political and diplomatic sphere is stable and positive. The practice of exchanging messages between heads of state and foreign ministers continues, and the first steps have been taken to establish trade, economic, inter-parliamentary, interregional and humanitarian contacts.

In 2004. Deputy Foreign Minister Yury Fedotov and a delegation of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation visited the DRC. In 2005, a delegation of the Congolese Senate headed by its Chairman M. Bodo paid a return visit to Russia. In November 2005, the DRC Presidential Adviser on Counter-terrorism paid a visit to Moscow through the Ministry of Internal Affairs. A delegation of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs paid a return visit to Kinshasa in May 2006. The exchange of visits was the first step in establishing Russian-Congolese law enforcement cooperation. Cooperation in this area involves training Congolese specialists on a gratuitous and contract basis in educational institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in various specialties. The main directions are training of African peacekeepers from among the representatives of the police, as well as specialists in the field of explosives, protection of high-ranking and important persons, suppression of riots and mass riots, etc.

In 2008, Moscow provided $ 200,000 in humanitarian financial assistance to the DRC. to eliminate the consequences of an emergency situation related to the AN-26 plane crash that occurred in October 2007. This step was widely covered in the local media. The official authorities and the population of the country "highly appreciated Russia's constant readiness to come to the aid of friends in difficult moments" [Puls Planeta, 2008]. Through the High Committee for Refugees, Russia provided DRC with humanitarian aid in the amount of $ 2 million, as well as assistance in the amount of $ 2 million. within the framework of the UN International Food Program.

In April 2009, for the first time since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries, a delegation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation A. T. Muamba paid a working visit to Moscow. During his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a wide range of pressing international and regional issues were touched upon, and Russia's desire to actively participate in solving socio-economic problems in Africa, resolving conflicts on the continent, in particular in efforts to normalize the situation in Eastern Congo and the Great Lakes region was confirmed. The Russian Foreign Minister spoke in favor of intensifying relations with the DRC [Transcript..., 2009].

A new step in the development of bilateral relations was the visit to the DRC in February 2010 of the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for relations with African leaders, A. M. Vasiliev. During the trip, the Special Representative met with the President of the DRC, Jean-Claude Juncker. Kabila to convey the message of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, which confirmed Russia's desire to strengthen business cooperation with the DRC and readiness to discuss the prospects for the development of trade and economic ties between the two countries. The central Congolese press noted the importance of this visit for strengthening friendly relations between the two countries and further developing relations in various fields [Le Potenciel, 2010].

An important component of Russian-Congolese relations is Russia's participation in the work of the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC). Russia is represented in MONUC by 26 military observers across the country, 4 civilian police officers, and 12 administrative officials. Several Russian airlines operate in the DRC under a contract with the UN: UTair Airlines OJSC (70 people), Nefteyugansk region

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aviaotryad (43 people), Abakan-Avia (8 people). Russian specialists have proven themselves in the best possible way, and domestic aviation equipment is always cited as an example of reliability and safety. This is especially important because Russian specialists have to work in difficult geographical and military conditions.

Along with the dynamics of interstate relations, progress has been made in trade and economic cooperation. Representatives of the Russian state and private businesses are focused primarily on the DRC's raw material resources due to the presence of rich mineral deposits and the lower cost of mineral extraction than in Russia.

It should be noted that this plan has some specifics. The economy of the DRC is 85% shadow business. A team of experts led by Belgian Professor J. Gorus found that 85% of Katanga's territory is divided into mining areas between owners, most of which do not have the capacity to develop resources. At the same time, according to the DRC Mining Cadastre, only 53% of the concessions are leased. As in colonial times, the plundering of the country's richest resources continues, and the leakage of valuable raw materials occurs through well-established channels under the control of illegal immigrants. In the 2008 reports of the DRC Center for the Examination and Evaluation of Precious Materials, it is reported that out of 5 tons of gold produced, only 123 kg were legally exported. After a 10-fold tax cut, the situation changed, but only slightly: legal export amounted to only 300 kg [Chronicle of events..., 2009]. It should also be noted that an economic battle has unfolded in the country for control over raw materials, environmental, water and biological resources. Among the competitors are Belgium, France, Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Brazil, India and especially China.

The DRC's huge potential, favorable geographical location, and rich natural resources open up broad prospects for Russia in establishing diverse ties. As part of the Constitution, the DRC should undergo an administrative and territorial reform related to further decentralization, as a result of which the number of provinces will increase from 11 to 26, and they will receive broad powers in the external economic sphere. At this stage, the subjects of the Russian Federation are given the opportunity to establish relations with the Congolese regions. However, the unstable military and political situation, the lack of a regulatory framework and corruption still frighten many of our compatriots, and are a deterrent to large-scale, including interregional, cooperation.

So far, Russian capital is only entering or exploring the possibility of entering the local market. Metropol Group is successfully advancing in the Congolese market. In addition to large Russian companies, enterprises from the most economically developed regions of Russia are also actively interested in cooperation with the Congolese side. Thus, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tatarstan is actively involved in promoting the products of enterprises in the region to African countries, including the DRC. Heavy trucks (KAMAZ) and helicopters (Mi-8, etc.) are in the greatest demand. models), products of petrochemical and organic synthesis plants, fuel oil and diesel fuel, etc. However, in recent years, OJSC KAMAZ has faced a significant problem in the DRC - the lack of subjects of the dealer network. Nevertheless, the company is exploring the possibilities of the truck market and is looking for reliable partners. One of the most promising areas of cooperation between St. Petersburg and the DRC is the organization of deliveries of non-ferrous metal products and rolled products to the northern capital. The St. Petersburg company Sevkabel OJSC showed its interest in purchasing cathode copper on the Congolese market-

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holding company. Kaluga Region is ready to send a delegation to the DRC to study the prospects of possible import of valuable wood species for furniture production, as well as coconut oil for the cosmetics industry. A number of companies in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, including the Gorky Medical Instrument Plant and Petr Telegin LLC, have expressed interest in supplying medical equipment and medical instruments to the Congo market.

We should also focus on the DRC's contacts with the Sverdlovsk Region. As a result of the search for raw materials for the production of ferroniobium at the Klyuchevsky Ferroalloy plant, the Management Company Russian Special Alloys (Rosspetssplav) created a joint venture with its Congolese partner Somikiwu Congo-Russia Industry for the extraction and processing of raw materials. 65% of the shares of the joint venture belong to a Russian investor, who invested more than $ 1 million in the rehabilitation of a frozen processing plant in the province of North Kivu. Production was launched in June 2008. The initiative to create a joint venture with the DRC belongs to the Russian entrepreneur S. I. Gilvarg, who heads Rosspetssplav.

In February 2010, thanks to the efforts of S. I. Gilvarg and the DRC Ambassador to the Russian Federation M. K. Mutchail, a visit of African ambassadors accredited in Moscow, a group of the Southern African Development Community 10 accompanied by representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences to the Sverdlovsk region was organized. In 2010, SADC was chaired by DRC President J. K. Kabila. The purpose of the delegation's visit was to get acquainted with the Ural industry. It should be noted that such an event was held for the first time and marked a breakthrough in establishing contacts between African partners and one of the most important Russian regions [Gorodskie Vesti, 2010]. The participants of the meeting received a message from the Special Representative of the Russian President for relations with African leaders, Alexander Vasiliev, which, in particular, stated that "the African direction as one of the components of Russia's foreign policy is acquiring a new content today. The restoration and further development of trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation with African countries meets the long-term national and geopolitical interests of our state. Political cooperation is now being filled with economic content. The presence of the richest and often unique mineral deposits in Africa, combined with lower production costs than in Russia, puts the continent among the most promising partners of the Russian mining complex. At the same time, African countries represent a growing market for Russian industry. In both directions, the Ural Region can become a privileged partner of Africa" [Document of the Institute of Africa..., 2010].

The same idea was expressed by DRC Ambassador M. K. Muchail. At the presentation of the investment and economic potential of the SADC Group, he stressed that the presence of African ambassadors in the Ural region is evidence of the common will to expand and deepen friendly ties and cooperation between the Russian Federation and the SADC countries. "After gaining independence, African states realized that the national flag and anthem are not enough for the development of the continent. It is necessary to pursue a consolidated policy at the regional level, which we are trying to implement in the framework of SADC" [Ibid.].

10 Southern African Development Community (SADC). The Southern African Trade and Economic Union was established in 1992 on the basis of the Southern African Development Coordination Conference, established by the second countries of the sub-region in 1980.The main goal of the SADC is to liberalize trade relations between its member countries. Currently, the SADC has significantly reduced customs duties and made significant progress in eliminating non-tariff restrictions in mutual trade relations. The Community has made significant progress towards creating a free trade zone.

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In general, the visit to the Urals showed that the Sverdlovsk Region is interested in partnership with Africa and is ready for broad business cooperation. In addition to opportunities in the industrial sector, the region has intellectual and scientific potential for the development and concrete implementation of business projects. All the necessary conditions have been created for this. The visit of the SADC group to the Ural capital was widely commented on in the Congolese press. So, on the pages of the newspaper " Potanciel "under the heading" Russian-African cooperation " they wrote that if earlier African countries did not show interest in Russian industry, now the situation has changed. "There is no doubt that Russia's participation in the economic and trade partnership with Africa, following China, will give a new impetus to both the Russian economy and African countries. Provided that there is no hypocrisy and a desire to dominate some over others" [Le Potenciel, 2010].

Russian higher education is traditionally popular among Congolese applicants. Every year, Russia provides about 20 scholarships to the DRC Government from the federal budget through the Ministry of Education and Science. At the same time, a significant number of Congolese students are sent to study at higher educational institutions in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Voronezh, Novomoskovsk, Rostov-on-Don, Tula, Volgograd and other cities on a contract basis.

Scientific ties are being established between the two countries. In 2008, an agreement on scientific cooperation was signed between the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Lubumbashi University, and in 2009 a delegation headed by the Rector of this university, Professor Shabu Mumba, visited Moscow. During the visit, other scientific agreements were signed with the Peoples ' Friendship University of Russia and the Institute of Asian and African Countries of Moscow State University. The new form of cooperation mentioned above is being developed - training of Congolese peacekeepers and law enforcement agencies through the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. In March 2007, a group of 10 Congolese police officers completed a training course in Russia. However, the organization of the trip was not easy. There were no coordinated actions on the part of the Congolese authorities, and it was difficult to agree on details with the Russian side. As a result, the Congolese were unable to prepare for the peacekeeping diploma exams.

In general, the recent development of Russian-Congolese relations can be described as positive, dynamic, with ample opportunities for a comprehensive dialogue. According to the Russian Ambassador to the DRC Alexander Klimenko, " in the new conditions of democratic transformation in the DRC, our countries could use the existing potential to restore, expand and diversify bilateral cooperation. The time has come not only to normalize relations, but also to strengthen ties between the two countries. " [www.drc.mid.ru]. The same point of view is shared by the DRC Ambassador to Moscow, M. Mutchail. In a conversation held at the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences on February 18, 2010, he focused on comprehensive cooperation with Russia, including military-technical cooperation in the field of security, and emphasized that at one time, thanks to the Soviet Union, it was possible to avoid the Balkanization of the Congo (which the United States actively promoted) and preserve the integrity of the country.

Now the country is engaged in an economic war for spheres of influence, in particular, in the mining sector. So far, Russia is hesitating to invest in the country's economy, but its return is expected. Russia's active position in the UN Security Council on the political and crisis settlement in the DRC, tangible participation in the UN Mission, the growing interest of the Russian business elite in the DRC, as well as the provisions on Russian-African cooperation contained in the draft Economic Development Strategy until 2020 on Russia's interaction with sub-Saharan Africa, create objective problems. prerequisites for the development of fruitful relations between our countries.

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list of literature

City news. Pervouralsk, N 7 (54), February 18, 2010.

Document of the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences No. 14305 of February 14, 2010.

Recording of a conversation between the USSR Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea P. I. Gerasimov and P. Lumumba on April 28, 1959 Secret / / Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation. F. 0590. Op. 1. P. 1. D. 1. L. 1-5.

Recording of a conversation between the Second Secretary of the Embassy of the USSR in the Republic of the Congo G. V. Rykov and the Minister for Economic Affairs A. Nguvulu about Soviet aid to the Congo on August 10, 1960 / / Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation. f. 590. Op. 3. P. 1. D. 6. L. 81-83.

Communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations between the USSR and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa) of November 30, 1967 / / Collection of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs of basic documents and materials on relations between the USSR and the Republic of Zaire for the period 1962-1971 Vol. 1.Moscow, 1984.

Korendyasov E. N. Obshchee i osobennoe v formirovanii obraza Rossii v Afrika [General and special in the formation of the image of Russia in Africa].
Nazhestkin O. I. Gody kongol'skogo krizisa (1960 - 1963 gg.) [The Years of the Congolese crisis (1960-1963)]. Zapiski razvedchika [Notes of a scout].
Note of the Government of the USSR to the Government of the Congo (Leopoldville) dated November 21, 1963 / / Pravda. November 22, 1963.

Note of the Government of the USSR to the Government of the Congo (Leopoldville) dated November 23, 1963 / / Pravda. November 24, 1963.

Note of the Government of the USSR to the Government of the Congo (Leopoldville) dated February 3, 1965 / / Pravda. February 5, 1965.

Sbornik MFA SSSR osnovnykh dokumentov i materialov ob otnoshenii mezhdu SSSR i Respubliki Zaire za period 1962-1971 gg. [Collection of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the main documents and materials on relations between the USSR and the Republic of Zaire for the period 1962-1971].

Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU of January 20, 1960 "On expanding cultural and public relations with the Black peoples of Africa and strengthening the influence of the Soviet Union on these peoples". N11 260/XXVI. Strictly secret / / Russia and Africa, vol. 2. Moscow, 1999.

Letter of the Permanent Representative of the USSR to the UN V. A. Zorin to the Chairman of the Security Council P. Dean dated January 25, 1962 / / Pravda. January 28, 1962.

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