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 Aduragbemi Omiyale
Accessing the US Dollar in the East Africa region has now been made easier with the expansion of the stablecoin settlement infrastructure of SCRYPT.
This development enables banks, payment providers and corporate treasury teams to move value into and out of the continent in real time.
Businesses paying international suppliers frequently have to convert local currency into USD before purchasing stablecoins for settlement, incurring FX conversions and spreads before any payment is made.
But SCRYPT is eliminating this intermediate conversion by enabling direct settlement corridors for local African currencies into stablecoins.
This development allows businesses to move from local currency to stablecoin settlement in a single licensed transaction, without first sourcing rationed bank dollars, as stablecoins are increasingly becoming settlement infrastructure rather than an investment product.
The expansion adds settlement support across four African currencies: the Kenyan shilling (KES), Tanzanian shilling (TZS), Rwandan franc (RWF) and Ugandan shilling (UGX). Each corridor is delivered through the same full-stack infrastructure our clients already use for trading, custody and treasury operations.
Speaking on this, the chief executive of SCRYPT, Norman Wooding, said, “Across Africa, stablecoin adoption is driven by economic need, not speculation.
“Businesses here are not chasing yield; they are trying to pay suppliers and manage treasury without losing margin to a banking system that rations dollars. Licensed, fair-rate dollar access is the clearest proof of what this infrastructure is for.”
Also commenting, the Managing Director of Markets & Trading at SCRYPT, Mr Gabriel Titopoulos, said, “Until now, reaching stablecoins from local African currencies meant buying scarce dollars and incurring several layers of conversion costs.
“SCRYPT removes this friction. Firms and payment providers can now settle straight from local currencies through live corridors, with local partners.”
World
African Graduates Association Promoting Multifaceted Initiatives With Russian Educational Institutions
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
In preparations for the third Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for late October 2026, Dr Francois Ngan, deputy chairman of the Union of Associations of African Graduates of Soviet and Russian Universities, during an official working visit, has held a consultative meeting with Professor Vladimir Filippov, the President of the Russian University of Peoples’ Friendship (RUDN), and former Minister of Higher Education of Russia, Chairman of the National Commission for Accreditation of Higher Education.
RUDN is an educational institution established in 1960, primarily to provide higher education to Third World students. It has now become a popular multidisciplinary spot for many students, especially from developing countries. The university offers various academic programmes and has research infrastructure that comprises laboratories and interdisciplinary centres. The university is named after the former Congolese leader, Patrice Lumumba.
Dr Francois Ngan and Professor Filippov discussed the importance of the Graduates Association as a continental platform dedicated to strengthening unity, cooperation, and promoting shared progress among African graduates who studied in the former Soviet Union and in the Russian Federation. They also reviewed multifaceted initiatives that could bring together alumni associations from across Africa, whose members obtained education and professional training, and cultural experiences in Soviet and Russian institutions of higher learning.
Professor Filippov expressed optimism in addressing emerging challenges as a result of shifting geopolitical changes, emphasised strategic cooperation in the educational sphere with Africa, in general, and with the Republic of Cameroon, in particular, and further about the integration of African students during their studies in the Russian Federation.
The meeting also touched on academic and scientific work, the possibility of rewriting a scientific thesis, and the official organisation of transferring versions translated into six languages for the library of RUDN. Significant questions relating to Russia’s educational opportunities, collaborations and partnerships involving African countries were thoroughly discussed.
The Union of Associations of African Graduates of Soviet and Russian Universities was created under one continental umbrella to promote friendship, for professional networking, to engage in cultural exchange, and with particular emphasis on forging strategic cooperation between Africa and Russia.
World
Russia to Support Industrial Growth, Technological Advancement and Supply Chain Resilience across Africa
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
With the heightening of geopolitical rivalry and competition, a new Russia-Africa working group has emerged as a significant institutional mechanism and plans to focus on facilitating and monitoring strategic investments, industrialisation, and infrastructural development—the Strategic Action Plan 2023-2026—that was outlined during the second Russia-Africa summit, in St.Petersburg, the second largest city in the Russian Federation.
While substantial progress has, largely, lagged on the multidimensional economic front with Africa primarily due to its internal difficulties and the complexity of relations with its former Soviet neighbours, Russian officials believe there still remains huge untapped potential in strengthening bilateral cooperation. As planned, President Vladimir Putin has already signed an executive order that directs Moscow to host the forthcoming third Russia-Africa summit in October 2026.
On June 30, a regular meeting of the Business Council on Africa was held under the chairmanship of the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry. It was dedicated to issues of trade, economic and investment cooperation with Africa. The group discussed the current state and prospects for the implementation of policy initiatives with an emphasis on assisting the countries of the continent, strengthening their economic, energy, technological and food sovereignty, as well as training specialists for Africa.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has reiterated that Russia-Africa relations primarily depend on an understanding of the importance of collective action based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and resolving common tasks. In the past few years, Russia-Africa cooperation has been noticeably strengthening. “We are deepening political dialogues, developing bilateral contacts with African countries, promoting cordial cooperation between ministries and departments, and expanding humanitarian exchanges. We are also continuing the structural diversification of trade partnerships and economic dimensions.”
“Next on the agenda is the launch of diplomatic missions in The Gambia, Liberia, Togo, and the Union of the Comoros,” Lavrov said at a meeting of the Business Council under the Russian foreign minister. Lavrov noted that Russian embassies began operating in three other African countries in 2025: Niger, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. A new Department for Partnership with Africa was also established. According to the top diplomat, “expanding Russia’s diplomatic presence on the continent contributes to developing relations.”
There are already 45 Russian embassies operating in Africa. The Russian foreign minister noted that Moscow is quickly rebuilding its presence in African countries, which sharply declined during the collapse of the Soviet Union. “There will be literally four or five countries left where we still need to establish full-fledged embassies, and then, we will have 100 per cent coverage of the entire African continent with our diplomatic presence,” Lavrov emphasised.
After the first summit in October 2019, the Foreign Ministry also created the Secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum. Its main tasks include controlling the roadmap to Africa’s multidimensional cooperation and guiding potential Russian investors to the continent. This also underscored the priority and post-Soviet solidarity Russia currently attaches to its policy towards Africa, within the growing framework of the emerging new architecture of multipolarity in the Global South.
In an interview in June 2026, the director of the Department of Partnership with Africa at the Foreign Ministry, Tatyana Dovgalenko, shared a few insights in the lead-up to the third summit. Furthermore, Dovgalenko explained that Russia would move away from security to concentrate more on economic issues, especially to team up with African colleagues to streamline mechanisms for implementing projects that will ensure food security and agriculture, and help Africa in installing processing facilities to support its self-sufficiency. She also emphasised energy and vital infrastructures, and the third direction was to simultaneously work more coherently with sub-regional organisations.
Over the past few years, bilateral relations have been increasing. There are positive dynamics in trade turnover, estimated at $30 billion. Steps are being taken to build payment systems, preferably in national currencies, while Russia looks to open four more diplomatic offices, bringing the total to 48 across Africa. Russia is currently training 37,000 African students, but only approximately 1/3 on state scholarships in Russia’s educational institutions. “We are ready to share valuable experiences of building a sovereign development model with African partners to achieve self-reliant economic growth based on their own resources and capabilities. Russia aims at creating processing capabilities and localising production, and provides access to advanced technological solutions,” underlined Dovgalenko in her interview with New Eastern Outlook.
For African countries that have endured difficult decades on the path to political independence, it is now important to take full control over the untapped resources, direct income and revenue toward stimulating the national economic sector, rather than paying for the well-being of the Western “golden billion” during this changing geopolitical era, according to Dovgalenko.
According to reports, the forthcoming Russia-Africa summit will have an economic agenda, including the digital economy, technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, investment, and settlements in global trade. Of course, the agenda will also cover Africa’s political aspects. But if African friends bring along any specific ideas, Russia will give them serious attention. In addition, with continuity and consistency, pay increased attention to expanding ties with Africa’s regional integration associations.
Going forward, the focus will be on translating strong trade relations into deeper investment partnerships, fostering technology collaboration, strengthening industrial linkages and contributing towards the shared objectives set by the leadership of both African countries and Russia. At the third summit, the above-mentioned specific initiatives will be further designed. In this regard, the key document, the new action plan for the next three-year period (2027-2029), is intended to reflect dynamic realities in the future relations of Russia and Africa
