World
Russia Meets African Envoys on Russia-Ukraine Crisis
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Russian diplomats at the Foreign Ministry have been stepping efforts to get first-hand blistering information on the Russia-Ukraine crisis, its primary causes and implications to African governments.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation, after both the Federation Council and the State Duma (legislative chambers) approved the implementation of the presidential decision that has since sparked debates throughout the world. It has also pushed for the United States and Canada, European Union members and many other external countries to impose sanctions against Russia.
Long before the special military operation started on February 24 aimed at “demilitarization and denazification” in the former Soviet republic of Ukraine, there has been information disseminated, either fabricated or the absolute truth about Russia’s intentions using the power of social media. As seen in practice, Western and European media have strong operational networks throughout Africa.
Russian Foreign Ministry is worried about anti-Russia publications, the policy of propaganda and misinformation in some African media outlets. Obviously, Russian media is extremely weak on the African continent, and consequently, local African media replicate information from western sources.
Over these past years, Russian diplomats claim to have a common understanding, expressions of solidarity and trusty position with African friends on global questions at international platforms, especially at the United Nations.
Nevertheless, the African Union, Regional Economic Organizations and the African governments are still and distinctively, divided over the Russia-Ukraine crisis due to divergent views and worse, afraid of contradictions and confrontations posed by the seemingly endless crisis and its effects on future relations.
Some policy experts say this Africans’ voting scenario at the UN opens a theme for a complete geopolitical study and analysis. It is necessary to understand its specific policy implications. As a new world is awakening, African leaders still believe that all countries have to respect and operate within the confines of international law. The circumstances demand settling disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice are not endangered. All countries must be guided profoundly by the principles of non-interference in internal matters, respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
There is much of disinformation spreading around, including inside Africa, and consequently, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s special meetings with African diplomatic representatives was to use the diplomatic channels to send down the official situational truth about the Russia-Ukraine crisis to various African governments.
According to reports, Russia and Africa have a close relationship and it becomes necessary to update with substantial information for geopolitical reasons. It was intended to provide an explicit understanding of the genesis of the crisis. With the African diplomatic missions, the Russian Foreign Ministry has held two briefings, and one other special briefing with the Arab countries that included North Africa and the Arab world.
Both on March 10 and 22, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Mikhail Bogdanov held special briefings for the heads of diplomatic missions of the African and Arab countries accredited in Russian Federation. It was fully devoted to the entire situation around Ukraine.
The diplomats were informed the reasons, goals and objectives of the ongoing special military operation, including those to ensure the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, protect the long-suffering people of Donbass and eliminate the threat to Russia’s national security emanating from Ukrainian territory. There were also significant issues related to ensuring the security of the civilian population in Ukraine, the organization and operation of humanitarian corridors, and the provision of assistance to refugees.
The Foreign Ministry further explained to the representatives of African embassies questions relating to requests for assistance in providing safe exits (evacuations), including their citizens, from crisis-ridden Ukraine. During the meetings, questions from African diplomats about the activities of embassies in Moscow under the conditions of illegitimate sanctions imposed by Western, European and other countries on the Russian Federation were answered.
In addition to these special briefings, Deputy Minister Bogdanov held bilateral discussions with Ambassadors from Benin, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa and Tanzania. Interesting to recall here that at the UN on March 2, Nigeria and Egypt were among the 28 African countries that voted to condemn Russia.
On March 22, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Vershinin also held meetings with representatives of African states in the UN Security Council – Ambassador of the Gabonese Republic to the Russian Federation, Johanna Rose Mamiaka; Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana to the Russian Federation, Oheneba Dr Lesley Akyaa Opoku-Ware and Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya in the Russian Federation, Benson Ogutu.
Topical issues of Russia’s interaction with the African “troika” in the UN Security Council were discussed, incl. the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, the state of affairs in Libya, Somalia, and the reform of the Security Council. While briefing the African representatives, Minister Bogdanov indicated and reaffirmed Russia’s long-term intention to strengthen and develop traditionally friendly ties with African states was reaffirmed.
For their part, the heads of diplomatic missions thanked the Russian side for the detailed coverage of events in Ukraine and the opportunity to exchange views on topical aspects of the Russia-African agenda.
Earlier on February 28, Bogdanov received Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa, Mzuvukile Jeff Maketuka, exchanging messages on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and South Africa.
During the conversation, both discussed issues of further development of traditionally friendly Russia-South African relations, with an emphasis on strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation in the trade, economic, scientific and humanitarian spheres. Moscow and Pretoria eternally hope to deepen political dialogue and maintain effective coordination of positions in the UN, BRICS, the G20 and other international platforms. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has also spoken with his African counterparts, including Equatorial Guinea, Morocco and South Africa.
Russia and South Africa are members of BRICS group. Soviet Union (now Russia) has maintained ties dating back from apartheid times and during the struggle for political independence. South Africa was one of 17 African nations to abstain on the UN resolution demanding that Russia immediately withdraw from Ukraine. It took a similar stance during Putin’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has come under fierce criticism over the official stand on the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Prior to the February 24 crisis which unfolded in Ukraine, Russia indicated strong preparedness and high interests to broaden cooperation in trade and in the economic sectors in Africa. With an invariable commitment to strengthen and develop relations in a positive and constructive manner, and especially in these challenging circumstances, Moscow is still planning for the second Russia-African summit. The question of state support and business facilitation has been on the agenda these several years and was discussed during the panel session in Sochi.
Now Russia plans to open trade missions in a number of African countries, and of course, looking forward to exploring several opportunities in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which provides unique and valuable access to an integrated African market of over 1.3 billion people. In practical reality, it aims at creating a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of businesspeople and investments in Africa.
That, however, it has been, oftentimes trumpeted that the Russian business community lacks awareness regarding the current fast-changing state of the African market, along with trade and investment opportunities. There is an insufficient level of trust towards potential partners. It is necessary to establish an effective system of communication to guarantee reliability and integrity, sharing business information, between business associations in Russia and Africa.
According to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, preparations for the Russia-Africa summit are in the active stage. The dates of the summit have not been determined yet. The first Russia-Africa summit took place in October 2019, and it was co-chaired by Russian and Egyptian Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The next summit is scheduled for autumn 2022.
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.
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.”
