WINDHOEK, June 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's policies in dealings with African countries will be friendly but "very pragmatic," Dmitry Medvedev said during his visit to Namibia on Thursday.

"I do not think that our countries should be competing, but clearly there should be competition among companies," Medvedev said at a press conference in the Namibian capital.

Medvedev said Russia would like to see "a considerable share of Russian companies on the African market," and that many foreign companies, particularly from the U.S. and China, are currently operating in Africa.

"We should be also involved," he said.

On Russia's role in a natural gas pipeline project across the Sahara desert, the president said the issue is non-political.

"Large-scale projects, including the trans-Sahara gas pipeline, are of interest for the Russian Federation," he said.

Medvedev started his four-country African tour on Tuesday, his first visit to the continent as Russian leader. The president has visited Egypt, Nigeria and Namibia so far this week, and will arrive in Angola on Friday.

He is to be accompanied by a delegation of Russian officials and businesspeople, including the ministers of natural resources, justice and energy, as well as the heads of state nuclear corporation Rosatom and oil giant LUKoil.