Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to supporting African nations across multiple sectors, including countering terrorism and extremism, during a summit in Sochi.
Delivered by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Putin’s statement emphasized Russia’s dedication to collaborating with Africa on pressing challenges such as security, sustainable development, and public health.
In recent years, many African countries have sought to bolster ties with Russia, shifting away from traditional Western allies. Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré pointed out that Russia now presents a more appealing partner than France, the former colonial power. Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop echoed this sentiment, describing Russia’s partnership as “sincere” and contrasting it with what he characterized as the West’s “neo-colonial” approach. Diop also revealed that Mali is exploring broader cooperation with Russia in areas such as energy, telecommunications, technology, and mining, in addition to military collaboration.
Russia’s growing influence in Africa has been reinforced by the involvement of the Wagner Group, now operating under the banner of Russia’s Africa Corps. Several African governments, particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, have turned to Russia for military support, with foreign troops being asked to leave. Russian assistance is often accompanied by a commitment to non-interference in the internal affairs of these nations.
However, despite its increasing presence, Russia’s military engagements have not yielded significant progress in curbing insurgent activities. Nevertheless, Moscow continues to emphasize the strengthening of its relationship with African countries. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova highlighted that the summit demonstrated the growing ties between Russia and Africa, defying Western expectations of Russia’s isolation. Lavrov also stressed that Russia-Africa relations are expanding across various sectors.
In his speech, President Putin reiterated Russia’s ongoing support for African nations in areas such as sustainable development, combating extremism, ensuring food security, managing health crises, and responding to natural disasters.
Rwanda, represented by Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe at the summit, is one of several African nations collaborating with Russia on nuclear power development. Nduhungirehe shared that many Rwandan students, including those specializing in nuclear science, have graduated from Russian universities, and expressed hopes for further partnership in this field.
While Putin’s goal to double trade with Africa has yet to be realized, Russia’s influence on the continent has notably expanded in recent years, driven by deepening diplomatic and economic ties.
