The third Russia-Africa Summit commenced on Wednesday in Moscow, bringing together 48 African countries out of 54 and 22 heads of state and government. The event aims to enhance Russian-African cooperation in areas such as economy, investment, energy, infrastructure, and technology. The summit will conclude with a joint statement and an action plan for 2027-2029. Tunisia is represented at the summit by Prime Minister Sarah Elzehri, who arrived in Moscow on Tuesday accompanied by Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti and a delegation of officials.
Prime Minister Elzehri will participate in the summit's general sessions and dialogue sessions, as well as hold bilateral meetings with other leaders. The summit, chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has the theme "For Peace, Security, and Development." Putin will co-chair the leaders' general session with Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, the current African Union president. The event has a strong focus on economic cooperation, with nearly 4,000 Russian and African businessmen participating in the forum.
The economic and humanitarian forum, running parallel to the summit, has the theme "Working Together to Develop Mutually Beneficial Cooperation and Enhance the Capabilities of Each African Country." The forum's program includes over 40 professional events to discuss joint projects. The agenda features sessions on topics such as sovereignty, economic systems, social and humanitarian cooperation, and technology.
The summit will explore ways to strengthen economic cooperation between Russia and African countries, particularly in trade, investment, healthcare, infrastructure, energy, technology, and education. President Putin is scheduled to meet with several African leaders by October 30 as part of Russia's efforts to promote cooperation in energy, agriculture, investment, infrastructure, and technology.
Russian officials have emphasized that Moscow is committed to establishing cooperation based on respect for national sovereignty and ensuring fair access to resources, food, fertilizers, and modern technologies for African countries. The summit's participants are expected to adopt a joint statement, an action plan for 2027-2029, and a declaration on cooperation in artificial intelligence.
A total of 33 documents, including government agreements, memoranda of understanding, and commercial contracts, are set to be signed during the summit. This event is a continuation of the cooperation initiated at the 2019 Sochi summit and continued during the 2023 St. Petersburg summit.
The Russia-Africa Summit has become a significant platform for dialogue and cooperation between Russia and African countries. The event highlights the importance of strengthening ties between the two regions and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation.
Key points
- The third Russia-Africa Summit aims to enhance cooperation between Russia and African countries in areas such as economy, investment, energy, infrastructure, and technology.
- The summit has brought together 48 African countries and 22 heads of state and government, with Tunisia represented by Prime Minister Sarah Elzehri.
- The event will conclude with a joint statement and an action plan for 2027-2029, focusing on strengthening economic cooperation and promoting mutually beneficial partnerships.
