World
Russia Hopes for Strategic Partnership with Africa
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an official statement posted to Kremlin’s website marking Africa Day, noted the significance of consolidating multifaceted relations with Africa. Strengthening relations based on its historical long-tested relations during the Soviet times, and now over the past few decades, Africa has achieved notable progress in both economic and social development.
Putin further underlined the fact that “multilateral cooperation at the African Union and various subregional organisations helps to enhance peace, security, and stability across the continent.” He acknowledged that Russia has consistently advocated for deepening its friendly ties with African partners. This commitment was clearly demonstrated at the Russia–Africa summits held in 2019 and 2023, which opened new avenues for cooperation and fostered greater alignment on key international issues.
The Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum is a new dialogue platform that yields positive results as well. And Moscow would hold the next 3rd Russia-Africa Summit in one of the African countries in 2026. These joint efforts will continue to broaden the scope of Russia–Africa relations, advancing the wellbeing of the peoples and contribute to the emergence of a just and democratic multipolar world order.
On the eve of Africa Day, the Director of the Department for Partnership with Africa at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Tatiana Dovgalenko, in her substantive discussions during an interview, also pointed to the Russian leadership’s desire to create new prospects and taking advantage of the best Soviet-era policy practices to expand further economic cooperation and engage in social spheres across Africa. The main determining factors here is mutually beneficial partnerships and its joint development, support Africa to become a strong pillar in the emerging multipolar world.
The newly created department’s absolute priority is to implement the tasks set by the President of Russia, taking into account the agreements with his African colleagues following the Russia-Africa summits, and to bring joint activities to a new level, based on the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan for 2023-2026. The document covers a wide range of spheres of cooperation, from security, trade and investment to education, agriculture, science, culture and others, with a deadline set for 2026.
In this sense, Russia and Africa are joining forces in solving global problems and building a truly multipolar world. Both are partly leaders of the emerging polycentric system of international relations, Russia unreservedly supporting Africa to be capable of actually defending its sovereignty and assisting other states in this matter.
As part of the Africa Day, distinctively marking the victory of the struggle for independence, as well as their aspirations for freedom, peace and prosperity, the Russian Foreign Ministry also said in a statement, noting that today, the organisation’s good traditions are being carried on by the African Union, which speaks for the entire continent, cementing its highly influential role in global affairs.
“During the Soviet era, our country made a substantial contribution to liberating African nations from colonial dependence, selflessly and consistently assisting the continent’s young states in strengthening their sovereignty, developing their economies and training local personnel. Today, our relations are moving along an upward trajectory. Building a truly strategic partnership with Africa is one of Russia’s foreign policy priorities,” as part of the statement on behalf of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the Foreign Ministry.
The Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation, approved in March 2023, by Russian President Vladimir Putin, clearly states Kremlin’s unique intention to “contribute to the further development of Africa as an authentic and influential centre of global development.”
Usually, the Africa Day offers an opportunity to raise awareness on a global scale about Africa’s contributions to the world and about the AU as a key player on the international scene, while showcasing the importance of its cooperation. It promotes a positive image of the continent, countering stereotypes and misconceptions. The day inspires people to take an active role in shaping Africa’s future, encouraging them to participate in discussions and initiatives that promote growth and development.
Like other foreign countries, Russia also joined the African Union (AU), in commemorating the Africa Day, observed annually on the 25th of May. The Africa Day was established in 1963, the founding year of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, marking the beginning of Africa’s progressive movement towards political and economic integration. The OAU has since transformed into the African Union (AU).
Kestér Kenn Klomegâh has a diverse work experience in the field of policy research and business consultancy. His focused interest includes geopolitical changes, foreign relations and economic development related questions in Africa with key global powers
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
For transforming cross-border payments through its deployment with Global Money Exchange, Comviva has been named Best In-Class Cross Border Payments.
The global leader in digital transformation solutions clinched this latest accolade at the IBS Intelligence Global FinTech Innovation Award 2025.
The recognition highlights how Comviva’s mobiquity Pay is helping shape a modern cross-border payment ecosystem that stretches far beyond conventional remittance services.
Deployed as a white label Wallet Platform and launched as Global Pay Oman App, it fulfils GMEC’s dual vision—positioning itself as an innovative payment service provider while digitally extending its core money transfer business.
The solution allows GMEC to offer international money transfers alongside seamless forex ordering and other services. These capabilities sit alongside a broad suite of everyday financial services, including bill and utility payments, merchant transactions, education-related payments, and other digital conveniences — all delivered through one unified experience.
“This award is a testament to Oman’s accelerating digital transformation and our commitment to reshaping how cross-border payments serve people and businesses across the Sultanate.
“By partnering with Comviva and bringing the Global Pay Oman Super App, we have moved beyond traditional remittance services to create a truly inclusive and future-ready financial ecosystem.
“This innovation is not only enhancing convenience and transparency for our customers but is also supporting Oman’s broader vision of building a digitally empowered economy,” the Managing Director at Global Money Exchange, Subromoniyan K.S, said.
Also commenting, the chief executive of Comviva, Mr Rajesh Chandiramani, said, “Cross-border payments are becoming a daily necessity, not a niche service, particularly for migrant and trade-linked economies.
“This recognition from IBS Intelligence validates our focus on building payment platforms that combine global reach with local relevance, operational resilience and a strong user experience. The deployment with Global Money Exchange Co. demonstrates how mobiquity® Pay enables financial institutions to move beyond remittances and deliver integrated digital services at scale.”
“The deployment of mobiquity Pay for GMEC showcases how scalable, API-driven digital wallet platforms can transform cross-border payments into seamless, value-rich experiences.
“By integrating remittances, bill payments, forex services, and AI-powered engagement into a unified Super App, Comviva has reimagined customer journeys and operational agility.
“This Best-in-Class Cross-border Payments award win stands as a testament to Comviva’s excellence in enabling financial institutions to compete and grow in a digitally convergent world,” the Director for Research and Digital Properties at IBS Intelligence, Nikhil Gokhale, said.
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
At the end of an extensive consultation with African foreign ministers, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, has emphasized that Moscow would advance its economic engagement across Africa, admittedly outlining obstacles delaying the prompt implementation of several initiatives set forth in Strategic Action Plan (2023-2026) approved in St. Petersburg during the Russia-Africa Summit.
The second Ministerial Conference, by the Russian Foreign Ministry with support from Roscongress Foundation and the Arab Republic of Egypt, marked an important milestone towards raising bilateral investment and economic cooperation.
In Cairo, the capital city of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Lavrov read out the final resolution script, in a full-packed conference hall, and voiced strong confidence that Moscow would achieve its strategic economic goals with Africa, with support from the African Union (AU) and other Regional Economic blocs in the subsequent years. Despite the complexities posed by the Russia-Ukraine crisis, combined with geopolitical conditions inside the African continent, Moscow however reiterated its position to take serious steps in finding pragmatic prospects for mutual cooperation and improve multifaceted relations with Africa, distinctively in the different sectors: in trade, economic and investment spheres, education and culture, humanitarian and other promising areas.
The main event was the plenary session co-chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptians Abroad Bashar Abdelathi. Welcome messages from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdelhak Sisi were read.
And broadly, the meeting participants compared notes on the most pressing issues on the international and Russian-African agendas, with a focus on the full implementation of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan for 2023-2026, approved at the second Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg in 2023.
In addition, on the sidelines of the conference, Lavrov held talks with his African counterparts, and a number of bilateral documents were signed. A thematic event was held with the participation of Russian and African relevant agencies and organizations, aimed at unlocking the potential of trilateral Russia-Egypt-Africa cooperation in trade, economic, and educational spheres.
With changing times, Africa is rapidly becoming one of the key centers of a multipolar world order. It is experiencing a second awakening. Following their long-ago political independence, African countries are increasingly insisting on respect for their sovereignty and their right to independently manage their resources and destiny. Based on these conditions, it was concluded that Moscow begins an effective and comprehensive work on preparing a new three-year Cooperation and Joint Action Plan between Russia and Africa.
Moreover, these important areas of joint practical work are already detailed in the Joint Statement, which was unanimously approved and will serve as an important guideline for future work. According to reports, the Joint Statement reflects the progress of discussions on international and regional issues, as well as matters of global significance.
Following the conference, the Joint Statement adopted reflects shared approaches to addressing challenges and a mutual commitment to strengthening multifaceted cooperation with a view to ensuring high-quality preparation for the third Russia-Africa Summit in 2026.
On December 19-20, the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum was held in Cairo, Egypt. It was held for the first time on the African continent, attended by heads and representatives of the foreign policy ministries of 52 African states and the executive bodies of eight regional integration associations.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Social media platform, TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance has signed binding agreements with United States and global investors to operate its business in America.
Half of the joint venture will be owned by a group of investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake and the Emirati investment firm MGX, according to a memo sent by chief executive, Mr Shou Zi Chew.
The deal, which is set to close on January 22, 2026 would end years of efforts by the US government to force ByteDance to sell its US operations over national security concerns.
It is in line with a deal unveiled in September, when US President Donald Trump delayed the enforcement of a law that would ban the app unless it was sold.
In the memo, TikTok said the deal will enable “over 170 million Americans to continue discovering a world of endless possibilities as part of a vital global community”.
Under the agreement, ByteDance will retain 19.9 per cent of the business, while Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi-based MGX will hold 15 per cent each.
Another 30.1 per cent will be held by affiliates of existing ByteDance investors, according to the memo.
The White House previously said that Oracle, which was co-founded by President Trump’s supporter Larry Ellison, will license TikTok’s recommendation algorithm as part of the deal.
The deal comes after a series of delays.
Business Post reported in April 2024 that the administration of President Joe Biden passed a law to ban the app over national security concerns, unless it was sold.
The law was set to go into effect on January 20, 2025 but was pushed back multiple times by President Trump, while his administration worked out a deal to transfer ownership.
President Trump said in September that he had spoken on the phone to China’s President Xi Jinping, who he said had given the deal the go ahead.
The platform’s future remained unclear after the leaders met face to face in October.
The app’s fate was clouded by ongoing tensions between the two nations on trade and other matters.
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