Third Russia-Africa summit to begin in Moscow with delegates from 48 countries

Putin prepares to expand influence in Africa

The third state-level "Russia-Africa" summit is set to begin in the Russian capital. The main objective of the meeting for Vladimir Putin is to deepen ties with the continent, which has gained greater strategic significance for Moscow following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to Bloomberg, the Russian dictator plans to use the event to demonstrate to the world the limitations of Western attempts to isolate Russia amid the war, as well as to restore influence in Africa, which dropped sharply after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Composition of participants and event format

State media report that the summit, which begins on Wednesday, is expected to feature delegations from 48 countries. Among them, 22 states are represented personally by their heads of state. The Kremlin has confirmed that Vladimir Putin will hold a series of bilateral talks with guests, as well as participate in a plenary session scheduled for Thursday.

Among the expected participants of the event:

• President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi;
• President of Rwanda Paul Kagame;
• President of Kenya William Ruto;
• Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed.

President of Burundi Évariste Ndayishimiye, who currently chairs the African Union, will be co-chair of the summit.

Plans for agreements and sensitive issues

According to Kremlin representatives, participants plan to adopt a joint declaration and a separate communiqué dedicated to artificial intelligence issues. In addition, the signing of a number of other international agreements is envisaged.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere of the negotiations may be tense due to complaints from the governments of several African states. They point to attempts by Russia to recruit their citizens to participate in military operations in Ukraine, which could become a source of tension during the talks in Moscow.

Expert analysis of the geopolitical situation

Alexander Baunov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia-Eurasia Centre, explains that African countries clearly understand the real state of affairs. In his words, Russia's positions on the continent remain relatively modest compared to the much stronger presence of China, Western states, and even India.

«Для африканських країн зв'язки з Росією є способом певною мірою врівноважити цю набагато більшу присутність», — зазначив експерт. ("For African countries, ties with Russia are a way to somewhat balance this much greater presence," the expert noted.)