MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/. Russian-African relations are on the rise, and Moscow will continue to help reinforce the continent's position, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated in a video message to the organizers and participants of the 4th "Russia-Africa: What's Next?" Forum and the first Russia-Africa Young Diplomats Forum. "We endorse the desire of Africans to play an active role in world affairs. We will continue to help strengthen the continent's position as an independent center of power in the emerging multipolar world order. Russian-African relations are on the rise," the top diplomat said. According to Lavrov, practical cooperation in the trade and economic sphere is being successfully implemented, as well as humanitarian projects. "Russia provides assistance to African countries in order to strengthen their political and economic sovereignty," the top diplomat stressed. "We will continue to help Africans in their quest to possess advanced technologies." In addition, Lavrov emphasized that Russia and the African continent are countering modern practices of neocolonialism. "We consider it important to combine efforts in order to form mechanisms for economic relations and international trade systems beyond the control of the West," the top diplomat said. TASS is the general information partner of the 4th Russia-Africa: What's Next? Forum.