(MENAFN) Russia has consistently been a key player in fostering multilateral dialogue and cooperation, Nasser Al-Motairi, secretary-general of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), told a news agency in an exclusive interview on Sunday.

Al-Motairi emphasized that Moscow has “played an important role in promoting the principles of constructive dialogue and also inclusive cooperation,” describing Russia as a force for “multilateralism” on the global stage.

The ACD chief noted that, despite ongoing political tensions and notable economic and educational disparities among Asian nations, the organization is committed to using diplomacy as a “tool of building bridges between nations” and to promoting “mutual understanding, respect of cultural diversity.” He stressed that the ultimate aim of the ACD is to expand the global influence of Asian countries.

To achieve this, the ACD plans to strengthen collaboration with other major regional groups, including BRICS, citing complex global challenges that “individual countries cannot overcome… alone.”

Al-Motairi, visiting Moscow officially, described his participation in the Second International Symposium earlier this month as an opportunity to promote the ACD and its objectives. The event gathered more than 7,000 experts from the SCO and BRICS nations, the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and the US to explore strategies for positive global development.

During his visit, Al-Motairi also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss “a broad range of promising areas of economic and humanitarian cooperation,” according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.

MENAFN14102025000045017640ID1110192268