World
Practical Ideas of Russian-African Club for Strengthening Russia-Africa Relations
By Gouend Louis
On February 8, the Russian-African Club of MSU named after M.V. Lomonosov held an International Conference: “Development of cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Russia and African countries.” The event took place at the Faculty of Global Processes of Moscow State University.
The conference was held as part of the implementation of the decisions of the Second Summit and the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum, which was held on July 27-28, 2023. in St. Petersburg. The event was supported by the Secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
The conference was attended by more than 100 people, representatives of 30 countries of the African continent and Russia. Its participants included Russian and African diplomats, government and public figures, leaders of African diasporas, activists of non-governmental and youth organizations, Africanists, representatives of the film industry, mass communications, sports, culture and education.
The conference was opened by Ilya Vyacheslavovich Ilyin, Dean of the Faculty of Global Processes at Moscow State University, Chairman of the Russian UNESCO Committee for the program “Management of Social Transformations (MOST)”, First Vice-President of the Russian-African Club of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov. He congratulated those gathered on the 300th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences and conveyed greetings from the President of the Russian-African Club of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, academician, rector of Moscow State University Viktor Antonovich Sadovnichy. Ilyin I.V. noted the successful work of the club and expressed confidence that during the conference practical proposals will be developed that will be sent to the Secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum. The dean set the businesslike tone of the conference and was the first to put forward a practical proposal for the creation of an International Movement of University Ambassadors (UMA). In his opinion, the establishment of the MDUA would be especially relevant in light of the upcoming World Youth Festival in Sochi in March this year.
In the welcoming speech of the Chairman of the Council of the Russian-African Club of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, head of the secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, Oleg Borisovich Ozerov, notes the following. “In recent years, African countries have demonstrated a steadily growing interest in learning the Russian language and subsequently obtaining specialized, technical and higher education in Russian civilian and military educational institutions.”
The Executive Secretary of the Russian Federation Commission for UNESCO, Tatyana Evgenievna Dovgalenko, addressed the conference with greetings. She thanked the Russian-African Club of Lomonosov Moscow State University for its work on cooperation with African countries and spoke about key UNESCO projects carried out in African countries.
His Royal Highness, Member of the South African Parliament Zolani Mkiva, famous African poet, recognized artist, and cultural activist, noted the special importance of the conference theme. He recalled the historically friendly ties between Russia and African countries and also emphasized the need to build relations between peoples based on cultural programs.
Speaking on the topic of Russian-African cooperation in the field of science and education, Acting Vice-Chancellor of Copperbelt University in Zambia, Professor Paul Chisale noted that Russia is an advanced country with enormous technological, scientific, and educational potential. Africa can learn a lot from cooperation with Russia. These are joint scientific projects and exchanges between teachers and students.
Director of Public Relations of the Office of Presidential and National Scholarships of the President and Cabinet of Zimbabwe, Rachel Nyaray Chitate, expressed the hope that Russia and Africa will work together to forge the future. The expert noted that the strengths of our countries are complementary. As an example, she cited an area of science where the great scientific school of Russia could rely on young scientific personnel from the African continent.
Experts in the field of military education in Russia – head of the department of the Research Institute of Military History, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor Andrey Evgenievich Shagov, as well as a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Missile and Artillery Sciences, head of the department of the Research Institute of Military History, Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Alexey Kuznetsov Andreevich, spoke about the importance of training scientific military personnel for African countries.
The conference also discussed the issue of practical activities in the field of preservation, restoration and protection of cultural property of Russia and Africa. An expert of the Council for the Security of Cultural Property of ICOM Russia, Sergei Antonovich Uzyanov, stated that during conflicts and disasters, thefts and illegal movement of cultural property occur. The most valuable artefacts of the national heritage are being auctioned on the Internet. The speaker spoke about the unique technology for the security marking of cultural property, developed based on the 18th Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Vanyukova Daria Vladimirovna, a researcher at the State Museum of Oriental Art and Monastyreva Galli Germanovna, adviser on humanitarian issues of the Association for Economic Cooperation with African Countries, spoke about the experience of implementing museum, cultural and educational projects in Africa using the example of Mali. The speakers called for expanding the geography of humanitarian cooperation in Africa and expanding educational projects to all countries of the continent.
Pan-Africanist, sports commentator for the online media “Civic Network”, President of the Chadian Futsal Federation, Vice-President of the Central African Branch for Relations with the African Sports Organization Mahamat Issaha Sogar, as well as Secretary General of the Cameroon Students’ Association Kamdem Motcheyo Tedi and Mohamed Selim, Managing Director East Step Tourism companies in Egypt offered their humanitarian projects to expand cooperation in the field of sports, tourism, joint festivals and sports and recreational events.
The President of the ANO Center for Business and Cultural Cooperation with African Countries, Vladimir Anatolyevich Bagrov, spoke on the issue of cooperation in the field of cinema. He spoke about the film industry of African countries and noted the high prospects for cooperation in this area. Film director and producer Dr Nyengo Stevens from Cameroon suggested using cinema as a tool of cultural diplomacy, holding joint film festivals, and signing corporate agreements between film producers and companies to be able to create high-quality products for a global audience.
Head of the Department of Global Social Processes and Work with Youth of the Faculty of Global Processes of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Professor Natalya Leonovna Smakotina proposed conducting special educational programs on working with youth aimed at friendship and cooperation. Program director of the Russian-African Club, and associate professor of Moscow State University Ilya Leonidovich Shershnev supported the idea and proposed developing a curriculum and creating advanced training courses for the implementation of humanitarian projects and public diplomacy programs between Russia and African countries.
The founding president of the Black African Defense League, Eguchi Behanzin, is convinced that Africa’s education sector has been expropriated by the West, especially the United States. Through their educational projects, they influence the minds of African youth. According to the speaker, the traditions of Russian education are excellent, and African youth dream of having access to this knowledge. The speaker thanked Russia for scholarships for African students. He also expressed hope that Russia will help in training teaching staff for Africa.
The President of the Dogon Youth Movement “Jinna Dogon” in Mali, Bokari Guindo, proposed developing cooperation between museums in African and Russian countries. The speaker also noted that there is huge potential for the development of tourist flow between our countries.
Dean of the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosova, professor, academician of the Russian Academy of Education Elena Leonidovna Vartanova, together with the deputy dean of the Faculty of Journalism for International Cooperation Anna Aleksandrovna Gladkova and the leading researcher of the Faculty of Journalism, associate professor of the Russian Academy of Education Dunas Denis Vladimirovich, presented a presentation on the topic “The image of Africa in the Russian media: conflictological aspect.” In the course of the study, scientists concluded that mentioning conflict issues does not prevent the Russian media from addressing Africa as a region that has enormous potential, strengthening relations with which contributes to Russia’s national interests.
Managing Director of the Analytical Center for Afrocentrism from Togo, Dr Amasso Yves Ekoué, noted the importance of developing video content as the most attractive to young people and that Russia’s chairmanship of BRICS should be used to promote joint initiatives and expand cooperation.
Director and founder of the pan-African magazine “Those Who Make Africa” Aldo Newman noted that for mutual penetration of the media spheres of Russia and Africa, it is necessary to launch channels broadcasting in the languages of the peoples of our countries and we need to rely more on local media that have authority among the population, to promote the Russian vision of current events and the values common to our countries.
Gouand Louis, President of the Diaspora of the Republic of Cameroon in the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Commission for Work with African Diasporas and Public Relations of the Russian-African Club of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov spoke about the media project of the Russian-African Club of Moscow State University, the information platform Rusafromedia (https://rusafromedia.ru/), uniting Russian and African journalists. He invited participants to register on this resource and more actively publish their materials there and exchange relevant information from the life of the Russian-African partnership.
In conclusion, the executive secretary of the club, Alexander Fedorovich Berdnikov, highlighted the main directions in which the work of the Club will continue. All proposals will be included in the final document of the conference and will be transferred to government agencies that are working on Russian-African cooperation
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.
