Russia-Africa Summit sets out priorities for Moscow gathering
The agenda for the third Russia-Africa Summit has been released ahead of the gathering in Moscow later this month.
The summit will take place on October 28-29. Its program, released by the Roscongress Foundation, one of the organizers, is divided into four main tracks covering sovereignty and sustainable development, the economy, humanitarian cooperation and human capital, and technology and innovation.
Previous summits “marked a key stage in the strengthening of Russia’s relations with the countries of Africa,” Anton Kobyakov, an adviser to the Russian president and executive secretary of the summit’s organizing committee, said. He added that this year’s gathering would focus not only on reaching agreements, but also on “adopting practical solutions.”
Panel discussions will focus on trade and investment, industry, technology transfer, food and energy security, digitalization, healthcare, education, and science.
A separate Russia-Africa Media Forum is expected to bring together executives from African news agencies and media companies to discuss the role of media in Global Majority countries, the development of independent African media, disinformation, and the decolonization of media content.
The agenda has been unveiled days after Moscow accused Western countries of pressuring African states to stay away from the summit. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said last week that Western nations are attempting to dissuade African partners from attending.
The inaugural Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi in 2019 drew official delegations from all 54 African countries, with 45 represented by heads of state or government. The second summit in St. Petersburg in 2023 drew official delegations from 48 countries, with 27 represented by a head of state or the second-highest-ranking official.
More than 30 African countries have confirmed their participation in this year’s summit, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are among those expected to attend, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Alimov said last month. The presidents of Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe are also expected to take part.
