World
Africa At Valdai and First Ministerial Conference: Assessing What Next for Russian-African Partnership?
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
At the Valdai Discussion Club’s meeting held on 7th November 2024, President Vladimir Putin at the plenary session continued to build indepth discussions on Russian and African bilateral relations, Russia’s passion to support Africa’s attainment of economic sovereignty. It was explicitly noted, and this noticeably reflected in the declarations adopted after the first and second Russia-Africa summits, that Africa needs to liberate itself from the trapings of neo-colonialism of the United States and Europe.
That was not the first time. Valdai’s experts have been interested in Russia’s policy in Africa, particularly in this contemporary era of evolving multipolar architecture and new world political order. Africa is an integral part of the focus in the Global South. Russia has already held two symbolic summits and outlined certain economic directions for Africa. In practical terms, Russia with its previous experience with Africa during the Soviet times, now has the potential to assert as an investment leader in Africa. African leaders have unreservedly expressed their preparedness for mutual economic cooperation and in other fields, voiced their support for building a new world order through the association BRICS+ (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
Given the proven fact that Russia certainly has both the financial and technological capability for investing in public infrastructure, in addition to providing necessary security in conflicting regions in Africa. Conflicts in Africa are partially as a result of under-development, and persistent weak economic development and rising levels of unemployment in the society. It is abundantly clear that with its multivectoral foreign policy, Russia has presented itself as a reliable partner, and currently is leading African countries to confront western hegemony, political exceptionalism and dominating power. It has offered guarantees of being in position to support Africa to attain its economic sovereignty but, for now, largely remained as a virtual investor. Russia’s economic presence in Africa is still comparatively weak, even after the symbolic summits held in Sochi and St. Petersburg.
Notwithstanding, African leaders consider efforts at reforming international institutions and Africa’s incorporation into their structures would facilitate the process of attaining a better economic status, enable the expected transitions from the current trends of neo-colonialism and further move away from blames of state management inefficiency, development unsustainability and frustration of democracy. Across the continent, leaders and the elites have shown their inability to mitigate crises and to mobilise sufficient resources, including financing and human for promoting their sustainable development goals.
Undeniably, the Valdai Club represents a critical area of research for humanity, experts dive into useful details or debate the causes of ongoing developments now around the world. In his contribution at Valdai, an Indian expert Rasigan Maharajh, rightly explained that “common security can only be enhanced by actively reducing these inequalities in world systems, actively promoting knowledge sharing, and ensuring equitable opportunities for the development of all and sundry.” And the global majority seems to obviously prefer multipolarity.
As relations are developing, moving ahead with concrete policy decisions should be an ideal direction. Quite often, there has been a lot of positive momentum in developing remarkable cooperation, several bilateral agreements have been signed and yet little noticeable results. Russians get irritated by the statement indicating little impact after series of business meetings, conferences and summits.
At the Valdai meeting, Professor Irina Abramova, Director of the Africa Studies Institute had the opportunity to ask Vladimir Putin a few questions relating to Africa. Specifically she wanted to know Putin’s views over the impact of Russia’s relations with Africa based on the fact that Putin has repeated his popular phrases, at the Kazan’s BRICS press conference that Africa, together with Southeast Asia, are new centers of global growth. Today, at Valdai meeting, Putin repeated this same idea.
Professor Abramova, in addition, stressed the fact that in the conditions of fierce competition – China, India, and old global players, and even Turkey, the (Persian) Gulf countries, and Iran are working seriously in the continent, – Russia needs to find its niche, where it would be the best for Africans. But, dozens of negotiations with African leaders have been held these several years, with some more than once. Was there any one promising direction in these negotiations that all African leaders would talk about?
As expected, Putin reiterated all those popular Soviet-style rhetoric, ultimately reflecting the historical support for Africa to attain political independence from colonial rule, western exploitation and for sovereignty, for the creation of some basic conditions for economic development. Officials have indicated that colonial trends in the African political system and economic spheres constitute impediments for Russia to effectively invest in Africa.
Without mincing words, Putin stressed further at the Valdai meeting: “these neo-colonial instruments have been preserved in the economy by Western countries, but also in the field of security. In general, we will work intensely, responsibly, systematically in all directions.”
The first Russia-Africa ministerial conference was also held, on 9–10 November 2024, in southern coastal city of Sochi as per the decisions reached at the Second Russia–Africa Summit. The business programme included around 20 panel sessions and thematic events focusing on perspectives for Russia–Africa cooperation in the areas of security, economics, and humanitarian engagement. It aimed at building on the outcomes of the Second Russia–Africa Summit, bringing together more than 40 foreign ministers from Russia and Africa, the African Union Commission, and executive bodies of regional integration organizations. In attendance were approximately 1,500 representatives from financial institutions, Russian and African businesses, civil society, academia, and the media.
There was, as always, those similar themes for dialogue between Russia and Africa. “Cooperation with the countries of the African continent is now one of the common priorities, noting that there are existing wide prospects for cooperation as demonstrated by the large numbers of African partners to the conference,” stated Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation, Executive Secretary of the Organizing Committee for Russia–Africa at Roscongress Foundation.
Available on the Kremlin website, Vladimir Putin greetings to the first ministerial conference participants read: “African countries enjoy a growing prestige on the international stage. By pursuing a constructive and peace-loving foreign policy, they are playing an increasingly important role in addressing major international matters. For its part, Russia attaches particular importance to strengthening relations with its African partners. We are united by our aspiration to building a just multipolar world order based on genuine equality and the rule of law and any form of discrimination.”
In absolute terms, Russia showed preparedness to facilitate the implementation of large infrastructure projects, without publicly mentioning financial allocation. It further pointed to issues of promoting the development of trade and economic relations between Russia and Africa, while emphasizing on the possibility of creating favourable environment and conditions.
There is absolutely no need to repeat multi-dimensional contents from speeches of President Vladimir Putin and that of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov here. But an insight into all the previous official statements, there have already been layout steps for concrete areas of cooperation. What remains are valuable and thorough examination of Russia’s potential focused directions in Africa policy. Many have indicated that Russian and African leaders really have to take off existing barriers for promoting economic development, and this could have positive implications for African countries, and particularly for Russia as one of the leaders of the emerging multipolar world.
Aside setting priorities, Russian and African leaders working-style of state-to-state and government-to-government format, both have to broaden joint parameters to include the private sector operatives, the civil society, entrepreneurial diaspora, youth and women, to pave pathways for broader relationship between Russia and African countries. The questions arising from the historic first ministerial conference provided an additional strong basis, and one more step forward, especially coordinating the implementation of joint projects involving potential Russian operators in the spheres of trade, economic and investment partnership, and embrace new mechanisms and on suitable ways to bolster multifaceted relations between Russia and Africa.
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
One year after launching a continental initiative designed to make excellence in public governance the foundation of a new drive to transform Africa, LEAD, the Africa CEO Forum’s pan-African leadership programme, takes stock of its first cohort and announces the launch of its second class. Built around a community of senior public decision-makers committed to modernising the state and to the continent’s digital transformation, this new cohort gathers for three days, from 28 to 30 August 2026, on the campus of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Rabat, Morocco.
A second cohort that confirms the programme’s durability
For its second class, LEAD brings together 50 fellows, senior public decision-makers engaged in the design and implementation of the continent’s economic and social policies. Over three days, participants take part in collective and collaborative working sessions, peer exchanges and meetings with figures from the public, business and academic spheres, in order to compare their practices and build shared responses to the major challenges of governance.
Speakers include Mehdi Jomaa, former Head of Government of Tunisia, Donald Kaberuka, Managing Partner & Founder, SouthBridge Group, and former President of the African Development Bank, Serge Ekue, President of the West African Development Bank (BOAD), Sanjay Jain, co-creator of India Stack and Director of Digital Public Infrastructure, Gates Foundation, and Mauricio Cardenas, Professor of Professional Practice in Global Leadership, Columbia SIPA, and former Finance Minister of Colombia (2012-2018).
They share their reform experience, their public policy trade-offs and their view of continental priorities. Throughout the programme, the cohort benefits from the dedicated support of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Asafo & Co, BOAD, BCG and the African Development Bank, LEAD partners that have chosen to invest in the transformation of African public action.
LEAD, a pan-African community serving public action
Created by the AFRICA CEO FORUM, LEAD is a leadership programme whose ambition is to reposition Africa’s administrative elite as a driver of reform, of performance and of dialogue with all the continent’s stakeholders.
Designed for senior African public decision-makers, LEAD sets out to build a lasting community of public officials able to share their experience, compare their practices and build common solutions to the major economic, technological and institutional transformations under way in Africa. That community is structured around three pillars: modernizing the state, improving public services, and strengthening cooperation between governments, development institutions and private-sector players.
From fellows to alumni: a long-term initiative
Made up of 36 fellows drawn from a range of administrations and institutions and representing 24 countries across the continent, LEAD’s first cohort demonstrated the quality and the potential of this community from its very first year. In less than twelve months, six of its members have taken a significant step forward: two have been appointed ministers, two have moved into strategic positions at the highest level of the state and two have been promoted to chief executive roles. These moves, which account for 16.7% of the first class, show the role LEAD plays as an accelerator of impact within African administrations.
By bringing together a new cohort of fellows every year, each of them joining the LEAD alumni community, the initiative follows a long-term trajectory: in time, to unite several hundred African public decision-makers around a shared culture of transparency, performance and regional cooperation.
A first year devoted to public service and digital public infrastructure
Throughout the year, the fellows devoted their work to strengthening African public action, to make excellence in public governance a central lever of transformation. An awareness campaign, run as part of Africa Public Service Day, brought to light those who, within the continent’s administrations and institutions, are concretely transforming public policy and improving the services offered to citizens.
Members of the cohort also took part in a special round table held in Kigali during the ACF 2026, in order to carry their thinking to a wider community of public and private leaders. That forum reinforced LEAD’s role as a platform for dialogue between the administrative elite and the continent’s economic players. Digital public infrastructure (DPI) formed the main thread of this first year of work.
Discussions covered issues at the heart of the digital sovereignty of African states: digital identity, payments, secure data exchange, interoperability, governance and the protection of citizens. This work examined the conditions under which African states are developing, in some cases, and can develop, in others, shared, open infrastructure robust enough to improve the quality of public services while supporting local innovation and preserving the capacity of public authorities to set the rules of the game.
A white paper to move from consuming technology to creating value
This year of work concludes with the publication, in collaboration with BCG, LEAD’s Knowledge Partner, of a white paper on Africa’s place in the digital economy and in artificial intelligence. With the digital economy still accounting for around 5% of African GDP, against close to 15% worldwide, the paper calls on the continent to shift from a logic of technology consumption to one of value creation.
The white paper identifies three structuring priorities for African public actors:
- Building shared digital infrastructure that serves as the backbone of public services and private innovation.
- Pooling investment in order to reach critical mass and avoid the fragmentation of efforts across the continent.
- Favouring open and interoperable architectures, with trust and governance built in by design, so as to protect citizens while stimulating the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The white paper is available here to all public decision-makers, technical partners and institutions concerned.
“LEAD’s first cohort confirms a simple conviction: Africa already has the women and men capable of profoundly transforming public action. Our responsibility, either with our partners, is to give them, at pan-African level, a space in which to compare experience, build common solutions and bring forward a new generation of public policy. With this second cohort, we want to accelerate the move from ambition to execution, in particular on digital public infrastructure and artificial intelligence, two decisive issues for sovereignty, for the effectiveness of the state and for value creation across the continent,” says Amir Ben Yahmed, President of the Africa CEO Forum.
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
Africa is set to make history as it hosts the World Public Summit for the first time, with Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, welcoming global leaders and changemakers from July 29–30, 2026, for the landmark gathering under the theme “New World: Africa in Shaping a Shared Future.”
The inaugural African edition of the World Public Summit marks a significant milestone in the continent’s growing role in shaping international dialogue on governance, sustainable development, human-centred leadership and global cooperation.
Hosted by the World Peoples Assembly in partnership with African and international organisations, the summit will convene government officials, diplomats, business leaders, academics, journalists, youth representatives, civil society organisations and cultural leaders from across Africa and around the world.
According to Andrey Belyaninov, General Secretary of the World Peoples Assembly, “the Summit is not just a meeting—it is a space for unity. A space where the ‘values that unite us’ come to life: respect for people, openness to the world, responsibility for the future, and a commitment to creation.
“Today, we understand more clearly than ever: the future cannot be built alone. It is born in dialogue, in trust, in the ability to listen to one another and to act together.”
The programme begins on July 29 with a series of high-level roundtables and expert discussions covering Pan-African economic integration, civil society, education, scientific cooperation, cultural diplomacy and humanitarian partnerships.
The opening plenary, “Values, Development and Partnership as the Basis of a Sustainable and Just World,” will explore how African values—including Ubuntu—can help shape a more inclusive and sustainable global future. Discussions will also focus on youth leadership, innovation, civil society, ethical AI, public initiatives and international partnerships.
The summit will also showcase Africa’s creativity and innovation through the “Innovations for the Future” exhibition, the contemporary African art exhibition “Unity,” and the international exhibition “The World Paints Happiness.”
Another featured initiative is “The Zambezi River: Economy, Society, Soul,” an international interdisciplinary project exploring the river’s socioeconomic importance across Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, highlighting the shared heritage and development potential of one of Africa’s most important waterways.
The event will conclude with the adoption of the African Communiqué, reflecting the summit’s shared vision for stronger international cooperation, sustainable development and people-centred leadership.
Tsegaye Chama, General Secretary of the Global Black Centre, promised that, “The Summit will be delivered with exceptional distinction, reflecting the magnitude and spirit of the World Peoples Assembly. It embodies a unity that is not transactional, but purposeful and conscious, a unity that shapes new contours for a world that works for all peoples of the World.”
As delegates prepare to arrive in Addis Ababa, anticipation continues to build for what promises to be one of Africa’s most significant international gatherings of 2026—one that will place the continent firmly at the centre of global conversations about the future.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria regained its position as Africa’s leading destination for equity startup investment in the first half of 2026, raising $214 million in equity financing and a total of $254 million across equity and debt, according to the latest Africa: The Big Deal report.
The report, titled H1 2026: Mapping the Money, showed that Nigeria ranked second on the continent in total funding, behind Egypt, which attracted $327 million, while Kenya and South Africa followed with $126 million and $83 million, respectively.
However, the report noted that Egypt’s top position was largely driven by a single fundraising by electric mobility company Spiro, which secured $327 million, including $270 million in equity and $57 million in debt. Excluding debt financing, Nigeria emerged as Africa’s largest equity funding market in the first six months of the year.
According to the breakdown by Africa: The Big Deal, Nigeria’s equity funding of $214 million was higher than Egypt’s $183 million, while South Africa and Kenya attracted $66 million and $46 million, respectively.
Beyond funding value, Nigeria also led the continent in the number of startups that raised at least $100,000 during the review period, reclaiming the top spot after what the report described as an “underwhelming” second half of 2025.
The publication observed that Nigeria’s fundraising performance has remained relatively stable over the past few years and exceeded the $250 million mark for the first time since 2022, pointing to renewed investor confidence in the country’s startup ecosystem.
It also found that while the Big Four startup markets—Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa—continued to dominate Africa’s investment landscape, their combined share of total funding stood at 58 per cent in the first half of 2026.
“Zooming back on the Big Four (110 out of 190 $100k+ deals, i.e. 58%), Nigeria is head and shoulders above its peers, with Egypt and Kenya almost tying, and South Africa in fourth position again,” the report noted.
The report highlighted contrasting performances among the continent’s largest startup ecosystems. While Nigeria and Egypt maintained strong funding momentum, Kenya recorded its weakest funding performance since early 2021 after a strong second half of 2025, and South Africa failed to attract $100 million in funding during the period despite leading the continent a year earlier.
Africa: The Big Deal also noted a broader shift in investor behaviour, with funding increasingly concentrated in larger transactions while early-stage investments continued to decline. According to the publication, the drop in smaller funding rounds reflects growing concerns about limited capital available for early-stage startups across Africa.
