World
Russian Language: Too Little, Too Late for Africa
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
Russian language study is hitting magnificent roadblocks in Africa. For several years after the Soviet collapse, Moscow has been stepping up efforts to strengthen Russian language study and its culture across Africa. But there have been few tangible results largely due to low motivation towards the language, its usefulness is blurry compared to other foreign languages including French, English language and now Chinese.
In the previous years, there has been an increasing concern about Russia’s extremely low presence in Africa. Russia’s initial interest was to become part of Europe and construct business ties from Lisbon to Vladivostok, its dream of a prestigious Global North. Africa’s potential is obvious to everyone. Due to the changing geopolitical situation, Russia now hopes to normalize cultural relations but has been hampered by multiple challenges.
The Kremlin leadership, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the NGOs, including the Russkiy Mir Foundation created to support language study inside Africa, have to seriously prioritize various motivating factors such as broad all-year-round tourism, people-to-people exchanges, cultural linkages, and more educational collaborations. Trade ties, especially the small and medium scale operators in the private sector (as opposed to state corporate commercial deals) and business people’s interactions are highly limited between the two regions.
Critics say Russia, a staunch advocate for multipolar but still, in real terms, stands far from being receptive, interactive and integrative with foreigners. As it appears, Russia’s irreconcilable cultural differences and colour-discriminatory attitudes make the country a segregated society. It is noticeable that potential African learners simply see few opportunities for practising the Russian language and hard to deepen cultural understanding and dispel stereotypes.
Critics further express doubts, and to what degree, the Russian language can bolster bilateral cultural relations with Africa. Russia’s tourism destination spots are still not popular among the middle-class estimated at 350 million which is double the population of Russia.
Most Africans prefer to study foreign languages to ensure smooth participation in interstate activities such as trade and to maintain relationships with people abroad. Foreign countries, for example, Britain, the United States, European countries and now China are their traditional favourites. There are always interactive programmes and cultural activities operated, throughout the year, by foreign missions and NGOs to support government efforts in forging external multifaceted relations.
From different perspectives, Russia has not been a major economic giant in Africa compared to Western and European countries and China. Due to this historical truth, Africans have little interest in studying the Russian language and its culture. The Russian language itself does not sound attractive in terms of its economic opportunity and therefore Africans prefer to study languages that readily offer opportunities. Russia appears quite removed from Africa’s development issues, it is only mentioned in limited areas like weapons and military equipment supplies to French-speaking West Africa. China is making huge contributions in the continent and this has made Africans see the need to understand the language to have better interaction with them and sustain long-term friendship.
More comparably, the research indicates a greater number of Chinese Confucius Institute, an equivalent of Russkiy Mir, in Africa. Nowadays, China is being viewed as a strong strategic partner in Africa given its (China’s) strong footprints in diverse economic sectors. China has more than 20 Confucius Centers and a party school in Africa. Western and European countries, and Asians for example China consistently support civil society, youth programmes and women’s issues, – these are completely vacillating between points of hope and despair on Russia’s radar.
Russian authorities are struggling to find effective ways of marketing the country’s language abroad by establishing language centres, for instance in Morocco, Egypt, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa currently operating in Africa. Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Mali have declared the Russian language as the second language, compulsorily to be studied in national schools and as an oriented strategy for consolidating cultural cooperation with Russia. It is also envisioned as overcoming social inequality and involvement of the young in sustainable economic development in those African countries.
In June 2001, the Russkiy Mir Foundation was created by a decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin to restore the Russian cultural image and promote the Russian language and its literature abroad, and its activities (operations) are financed under a special state budget allocation approved by the State Duma (lower house of parliament) and the Federation Council.
Chronicling reports on opening Russian language centres, in a couple of years (2021 to 2023), show the Russia House, the latest non-government organization, has now designed a large-scale educational project titled ‘Distant Russian in Africa’ which consists of free intensive Russian language courses and professional development seminars. Its co-organizers are the Institute of Russian Language and Culture (IRLAiK) of Moscow State University and the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Tanzania. Sources, however, indicate that Russian as a foreign language started last summer in Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Mauritius and Madagascar.
As Russkiy Mir reported, for teachers teaching Russian as a foreign language, Moscow State University usually holds training for educators from East African countries. It was also decided to hold a video conference in the field of tourism. But the point is that Russian authorities have to address the basic issue of running travel and exchange programs for Russian learners, increasing the number of foreign trips (alternatively referred to as study tours) including for Russian language learning purposes in the Russian Federation.
Observers suggest that Russia and Africa should have more and more youth exchanges. Representatives of African countries, as part of the New Generation programme, travel to Russia to participate in short-term programmes designed for young representatives from political, public, scientific and business circles to get acquainted with the people, the city landscape and interesting spots in the Russian Federation.
Generally, it’s time for Africans to create their solutions. Africans have waited for Russia’s pledges and promises, several agreements remain not implemented in the cultural and educational spheres. That’s true, as far as analysing contemporary relations between Russia and African countries. And of course, Africans could also take advantage of the contradictions in the geopolitical processes to pick up useful offers made available from foreign players. Long ago, Africans expressed complete readiness for facilitating practical work with Russia. And it’s time for Russia to Act. This sounds wonderful, right?
At the July plenary session in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin said “We propose the possibility of opening schools in Africa with a series of subjects taught in Russian. Implementing projects such as the study of Russian and introducing Russia’s high educational standards will create the best foundation for equal cooperation.”
According to Putin, in 28 African countries, a project has been launched to create open education centres to train teachers and educators in children’s preschool institutions, as well as primary and secondary schools. “To do this, we are planning to significantly increase the enrollment of African students in Russian pedagogical universities. We invite our African partners to join in this endeavour,” he indicated in his speech in late July 2023.
Nevertheless, we have to keep in mind that Africa has the fastest-growing population in the world. Over 50% of people living in Africa are under the age of 26. At the same time, offering this youth population modern technology in addition to the Russian language would be strategically contributing to the development of their entrepreneurship and leadership qualities, and simultaneously building unique bridges for future collaboration between Africa and Russia.
In conclusion, it is essential to remember to invest in establishing future partnerships. And Russian language could also give an additional dimension, show the roadmap to Africa, and determine the shift in geopolitical relations. Joint declarations, both in Sochi and St. Petersburg, suggested authorities would back away from utter reluctance approach…to take significant new steps forward as well as active engagement in meaningful cooperation in Sub-Saharan 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.”
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
