Russia’s effort to deepen economic and technical links with African governments took center stage Wednesday, when President Vladimir Putin addressed the Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in Moscow.
The forum is part of a two-day Russia–Africa summit running through Thursday. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said 48 African countries had confirmed attendance, with heads of state representing 22 of them. The gathering is the third summit in a series that began in Sochi in 2019 and continued in St. Petersburg in 2023. Ushakov said 17 of the 48 countries represented at the 2023 meeting sent heads of state.
Putin said African countries received 13 million metric tons of Russian agricultural goods during the first three quarters of 2026. He also said Russian universities had about 40,000 African students, 50% more than in 2020, and cited a quota of 5,500 scholarship places for African students in the 2026-27 academic year. The student figure follows an earlier EconoTimes report on African enrollment in Russia for 2025-26.
The forum agenda lists trade, investment, food security, digitalization and cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. It also identifies payment mechanisms that do not rely on the dollar or euro as a topic for discussion. Putin said Russia was ready to share technology and digital expertise with African countries.
Amnesty International’s African section directors want African leaders to raise reports of deceptive recruitment into Russia’s military with Russian authorities. The organization says African nationals have faced pressure and exploitation of economic hardship. Its September briefing says its findings drew on interviews and other research.
Putin said leaders intended to adopt the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan for 2027–2029 on Thursday. Ushakov said 33 intergovernmental documents were planned for signing during the summit.
