The third Russia-Africa summit commenced in Moscow on October 28, 2023, with numerous African heads of state in attendance. The summit, which will run for two days, aims to strengthen ties between Russia and African nations. According to the Institute for Africa at the Russian Academy of Sciences, trade between Russia and African countries reached approximately $27.7 billion in 2025. The summit's agenda includes discussions on sovereignty, economic cooperation, and technological innovation.
The summit's program is built around four main axes: sovereignty as a foundation for sustainable development, the economy of a sovereign world order, socio-humanitarian cooperation and human capital, and technologies and innovations to improve quality of life. Various roundtable discussions and thematic events are planned, focusing on trade, investment, industry, technology transfer, food and energy security, digitalization, healthcare, education, science, and media exchanges.
Several African leaders arrived in Moscow over the weekend, including Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who arrived on October 25. The President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, and Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, also arrived in Moscow. Ndayishimiye, who is also the current chair of the African Union, is set to co-chair a plenary session with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The official ceremony took place at the historic Gostiny Dvor in Moscow's Kitaïgorod district. The event is being supervised by Russian President Vladimir Putin's advisor, Iouri Ouchakov. According to the summit's official website, the meeting offers Russia an opportunity to consolidate its relations with African states and explore new partnership possibilities.
Comoros President Azali Assoumani arrived in Moscow on October 27, accompanied by a delegation of high-ranking officials, private sector representatives, and journalists. The President's diplomatic advisor, Djaé Ahamada Chanfi, emphasized that the summit will be an important moment for Comoros' diplomacy, allowing the country to diversify its diplomatic efforts and maximize benefits for its development policies.
The Russia-Africa summit has become a significant platform for discussing cooperation between Russia and African nations. The previous summits were held in Sochi in 2019 and St. Petersburg in 2023. According to Russian diplomacy, the third summit aims to evaluate progress made and set new orientations for the partnership. The event also includes the Russia-Africa Media Forum, which brings together leaders of press agencies and media groups from African countries.
The Russia-Africa partnership has been strengthened in various sectors, including the food industry, which has seen significant growth. In 2024, Russian agro-food exports to Africa exceeded $7 billion, with nearly $9.5 billion including fertilizers. Russia aims to increase trade with African countries to $40-50 billion by 2030. The summit's outcomes are expected to further enhance cooperation between Russia and African nations.
Key points
- The third Russia-Africa summit aims to strengthen ties between Russia and African nations, with a focus on sovereignty, economic cooperation, and technological innovation.
