Delegations and leaders from 48 African nations have gathered in Moscow for the third Russia-Africa Summit, a two-day diplomatic and economic forum running from October 28 to 29. The event is chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the current African Union chair, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye. The summit, themed “Developing Mutually Beneficial Cooperation,” features over 40 sessions and 100 speakers addressing topics including trade, investment, technology transfer, food and energy security, healthcare, and education. According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, 22 heads of state are in attendance. While this represents an increase from the 17 heads of state who attended the 2023 summit, it remains lower than the 43 who participated in the inaugural 2019 gathering in Sochi. Moscow has previously attributed fluctuations in attendance to Western diplomatic pressure. Scheduled bilateral meetings include discussions between President Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as well as Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Other notable attendees include the leaders of Burkina Faso and Niger, as well as representatives from Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, Sudan, and Libya. The summit serves as a platform for Russia to strengthen ties as it faces Western sanctions related to its war in Ukraine. While trade between Russia and African nations has grown from approximately $16.8 billion in 2019 to over $28 billion, analysts note that this commerce remains concentrated in a few countries and is significantly smaller than the trade volumes maintained by China and the European Union. Russia’s primary economic influence on the continent remains focused on energy, fertilizers, defense, and nuclear power through state-owned entities like Rosatom. Security cooperation has become a central pillar of the relationship. According to the African Security Analysis (ASA) group, the presence of Russian forces—formerly associated with the Wagner Group—has expanded from a few nations in 2023 to at least nine countries today. The summit is expected to conclude with the adoption of a final declaration and a Russia-Africa Partnership Forum plan covering 2027–2029. Beyond the official agenda, the event has drawn scrutiny regarding the recruitment of African nationals to fight in the war in Ukraine. Amnesty International has issued an open letter urging attending leaders to demand that Moscow cease what the organization describes as the deceptive and coercive recruitment of African citizens for the conflict, an issue that has previously caused diplomatic friction with nations such as Kenya.
Article source: Gabon News | Image credit: Gabon News