World
Russian, African Journalists Discuss Great Personalities in Russian-African Relations History
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
A roundtable of laureates of the first International Contest of Russian and African Journalists: “Great Personalities in the History of Russian-African Relations”, timed to coincide with the 225thanniversary of A.S. Pushkin’s birth, was held on July 31, 2024. The round table was organized by the Russian-African Club of Lomonosov Moscow State University in partnership with the Union of Journalists of Russia, the Faculty of Journalism and the Faculty of Global Studies of Lomonosov Moscow State University with the support of the Secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia).
The speakers of the round table were award-winning contestants, diplomats, media top managers, producers, TV presenters, journalists, public figures, scientists, teachers, and culture and mass media representatives of Russia and African countries.
The contribution of outstanding personalities to the development of relations between Russia and African countries in the works of the contest winners was discussed in the course of the round table. The participants put forward ideas and proposals to popularize knowledge in Russia and Africa about significant persons who contributed to the strengthening of Russian-African relations. They also discussed preparations for the second International contest for Russian and African journalists on the topic: “Short video stories about landmarks of your country”, dedicated to the 270th anniversary of Moscow University. The meeting was held in Russian, English, French and Arabic.
Timur Shafirа, Secretary of the Union of Journalists of Russia, addressed the participants with his welcoming speech. He expressed confidence that events like this contest are of great importance in strengthening relations between nations. In his opinion, journalists are civil diplomats, helping to build constructive partnerships and preserve stability and cooperation.
Anna Gladkova, Deputy Dean for International Cooperation of the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University, in her speech, conveyed greetings to the participants from Elena Vartanova, Dean of the Faculty of Journalism of MSU. The speaker also emphasized the special importance of holding this contest on the anniversary of the great genius of Russian poetry Alexander Pushkin and wished further success to the project.
The winner of the contest, a student of the University of International Relations from Cameroon Danielle Juanita Kabeyene told about her article, which she dedicated to the modern Togolese public and political figure, president of the “League for the Defense of Black Africans” Egountchi Behanzin. Winning such a prestigious competition is a great honour, Danielle noted.
Hafiz Basi from Sudan, who also won the contest, wrote an article about Alexander Pushkin, as he considers the great poet to be a true symbol who combined a true love for Russia and Africa. Hafiz noted that the poet never forgot his African roots, which can be proved by many lines from his poems. At the same time, Africa has always known and remembered Pushkin. Many generations of Africans got acquainted with the great Russian literature through Pushkin’s works. Hafiz also told his second article about Pushkin’s ancestor – Abram Petrovich Hannibal who was African. According to the contestant, this bright man also became a symbol of historical relations between Russia and Africa.
Christian Mounene, a laureate from the Democratic Republic of Congo, wrote an article about Patrice Lumumba for the contest, as he considers him a man of great stature, one of the most prominent fighters against colonialism, who stood up for the rights of Africans and expressed the aspirations of African peoples to rapprochement with the USSR and Russia.
The contestant from Senegal, Abdou Karim Diakhate, editor-in-chief of Le Panafricain magazine, who also won the competition, wrote an article about the Senegalese writer and film director Sembene Ousmane, who made a great contribution to awakening Africans in their struggle for independence.
Another contestant from Russia, Anastasia Zapolskaya, called her award-winning article “Sergey Lavrov – the face of Russian diplomacy in the 21st century”. Anastasia said that she was particularly interested in the role of diplomacy in modern world processes. She is sure that Sergei Lavrov, as Russian Foreign Minister, makes a huge contribution to building a just world order based on multipolarity and equality.
The main character of the article by the award-winning contest from South Africa, Khola Kesva, was a prominent military and political leader from Mozambique, Samora Machel, a revolutionary who waged an active guerrilla struggle against the colonizers in close cooperation with the USSR and later became President of Mozambique.
Yves Ekoué Amaïzo, Director of the Afrocentrism think tank from Togo, noted that when writing the article for the contest, he was guided by the idea that there were and are many ordinary people from different countries who make their huge contribution to strengthening ties between Russia and Africa, but their activities are hardly covered in the media. The contest winner expressed the opinion that it is ordinary people working in the Russia-Africa agenda who are the foundation on which strong friendly relations are built day by day.
This idea was supported by a round-table participant from Rwanda, Chairman of the Board of the African Diaspora Union for Truth and Advancement of People of African Descent “Inganzo Gakondo” François-Xavier Tulikunkiko. He noted that there are various Russian-African organizations in many cities in Russia where many things are being done to strengthen relations between Russia and Africa. Besides, a very large number of university graduates from the USSR and Russia now live in almost all African countries, and many of them hold significant positions. The speaker suggested that graduates should be regularly involved in such competitions.
Ilya Shershnev, Program Director of the Russian-African Club of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Global Studies of Moscow State University, noted the important work of university ambassadors – alumni as “envoys” and “ambassadors” of universities in Russia and Africa. In recent years, university ambassadors have appeared in many Russian and foreign universities, they are actively deploying their activity abroad. The geographical expansion of this journalistic contest will largely depend on university ambassadors and their personal relations and contacts.
Zenebe Kinfu, President of the Union of African Diasporas, joined his colleagues’ opinion and called on all organizations active in the field of relations between Russia and Africa to stand together and work on a united front.
President of the Cameroon Diaspora and the round table moderator, Louis Gowend, who is also the Director for African Diasporas and Media at the Russian-African Club of the Lomonosov MSU, stressed that African alumni and Russian-African organizations should become the foundation for relations between Russia and Africa to be built on.
Daniel Sawadogo, Cultural Relations Attaché at the Embassy of Burkina Faso, emphasized the importance of the international journalism contest and called for such contests to be held as often as possible. According to the diplomat, it is necessary for close cooperation between African countries and Russia. Mr. Sawadogo called the journalists’ contest a brilliant success of the MSU Russian-African Club.
Sergey Chesnokov, permanent expert of the Russian-African Club of Lomonosov Moscow State University, international journalist, and academician of PANI, proposed to create branches of the club in African countries. In the expert’s opinion, this would contribute to even closer interaction and would allow us to receive information and exchange opinions with African experts.
Summarizing the round table, Alexander F. Berdnikov, Executive Secretary of the Russian-African Club of MSU, supported the need for interaction between the African diaspora established in Russia and alumni located in African countries. According to him, this contest promotes the establishment of such ties. He suggested publishing a collection of articles written by all participants of the journalism contest and organizing the next contest together with other universities that are also working to strengthen ties between Russia and Africa.
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.
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
Despite the complexities posed by Russia-Ukraine crisis, United States has been taking conscious steps to improve commercial relations with Russia. Unsurprisingly, Russia, on the other hand, is also moving to restore and normalise its diplomacy, negotiating for direct connections of air-routes and passionate permission to return its diplomats back to Washington and New York.
In the latest developments, Kirill Dmitriev, Chief Executive Officer of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), has been appointed as Russian President’s Special Envoy to United States. This marked an important milestone towards raising bilateral investment and economic cooperation. Russian President Vladimir Putin tasked him to exclusively promote business dialogue between the two countries, and further to negotiate for the return of U.S. business enterprises. According to authentic reports, United States businesses lost $300+ bn during this Russia-Ukraine crisis, while Russia’s estimated 1,500 diplomats were asked to return to Moscow.
Strategically in late November 2025, the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham) has awarded Kirill Dmitriev, praised him for calculated efforts in promoting positive dialogue between the United States and Russia within the framework decreed by President Vladimir Putin. Chief Executive Officer of Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev is the Special Representative of the Russian President for Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries. Since his appointment, his primary focus has been on United States.
“Received an American Chamber of Commerce award ‘For leadership in fostering the US-Russia dialogue,’” Dmitriev wrote on his X page, in late November, 2025. According to Dmitriev, more than 150 US companies are currently operating in Russia, with more than 70% of them being present on the Russian market for over 25 years.
In addition, Chamber President Sergey Katyrin and American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham) President Robert Agee have also been discussing alternatives pathways to raise bilateral business cooperation. Both have held series of meetings throughout this year, indicating the the importance of sustaining relations as previously. Expectedly, the Roscongress Foundation has been offered its platforms during St. Petersburg International Economic (SPIEF) for the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham).
On December 9, Sergey Katyrin and Robert Agee noted that, despite existing problems and non-economic obstacles, the business communities of Russia and the United States proceed from the necessity of maintaining professional dialogue. Despite the worsening geopolitical conditions, Sergey Katyrin and Robert Agee noted the importance of preserving stable channels of trade and pragmatic prospects for economic cooperation. These will further serve as a stabilizing factor and an instrument for building mutual trust at the level of business circles, industry associations, and the expert community.
The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) will be working in the system of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) in the Russian Federation, which currently comprises 57,000 legal entities, 130 regional chambers and a combined network of representative offices covering more than 350 points of presence.
According to reports obtained by this article author from the AmCham, promising sectors for Russian-American economic cooperation include healthcare and the medical industry, civil aviation, communications/telecom, natural resource extraction, and energy/energy equipment. The United States and Russia have, more or less, agreed to continue coordinating their work to facilitate the formation of a more favorable environment for Russian and American businesses, reduce risks, and strengthen business ties. Following the American-Russian Dialogue, a joint statement and working documents were adopted.
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