Head of Government Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri arrived in Moscow on Wednesday to represent King Mohammed VI at the third Russia-Africa Summit. The two-day gathering opened the same day in the Russian capital, bringing together Russia and African member states of the United Nations. El Mansouri was greeted by Russian representatives, presented with flowers, and offered traditional refreshments as part of the welcoming ceremony.
The Moroccan delegation also includes Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Morocco’s Ambassador to Russia, Lotfi Bouchaara. Morocco takes part under the theme of peace, security, and development, while the summit itself runs under its own official banner of developing mutually beneficial cooperation and unlocking the potential of every African country. The summit aims to strengthen cooperation between Russia and African countries in trade, investment, energy, agriculture, and technology.
Bourita opened Morocco’s diplomatic engagements on Wednesday morning at a meeting of African foreign ministers chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. On the sidelines, he held one-on-one talks with his Russian counterpart. The summit runs on October 28 and 29 and is chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the current chair of the African Union, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
A total of 48 African countries confirmed participation, with 22 represented at the highest level. Running alongside the summit is the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum, which the Roscongress Foundation operates. Its program features around 40 sessions and panel discussions with close to 100 speakers. The agenda covers trade, investment, industry, technology, food and energy security, digitalization, healthcare, education, science, media, and youth exchange.
The forum’s business program culminates in a plenary session attended by Putin, who is scheduled to hold 19 bilateral meetings. An accompanying exhibition showcases Russian offerings in energy, natural resources, food supplies, pharmaceuticals, and digital and financial infrastructure. Attendance reflects shifting interest across the three gatherings, with 22 heads of state taking part this year, compared with 17 at the 2023 summit and 43 at the first one in 2019.
Russia has pushed to broaden cooperation with its African partners across several sectors as it faces Western sanctions tied to its war in Ukraine. Trade between Russia and African countries has exceeded $28 billion, up from an estimated $16.8 billion in 2019. The exchange remains concentrated in a few countries and trails the volumes of China and the European Union. Russia’s strongest ties lie in energy, fertilizers, defense, and nuclear power.
By the close of the summit, delegations are expected to adopt a final declaration and a Russia-Africa Partnership Forum plan covering 2027 to 2029. This is the first such summit since 2023, offering a measure of how far the relationship has developed and where it is heading. The visit also comes days before the October 31 vote at the UN Security Council on Western Sahara, where Russia holds one of the five permanent seats.
Key points
- Morocco's Head of Government Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri represents King Mohammed VI at the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow.
- The summit aims to strengthen cooperation between Russia and African countries in trade, investment, energy, agriculture, and technology.
- Trade between Russia and African countries has exceeded $28 billion, up from an estimated $16.8 billion in 2019.
