The third Russia-Africa Summit opened in Moscow on 28 October, bringing together representatives of 48 of Africa's 54 countries for two days of talks on trade, investment, energy, agriculture, infrastructure and technology. Twenty-two countries are represented at head-of-state level, up from 17 at the previous summit in 2023, according to Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov.

What is on the agenda

The summit is co-chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Burundi's President Évariste Ndayishimiye, the current African Union chairperson. Alongside plenary sessions and bilateral meetings, a Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum is running in parallel, bringing together government officials, business leaders and experts to discuss industrial development, food and energy security, digitalisation, healthcare and education. Participants are expected to adopt a final declaration and a Russia-Africa Partnership Forum action plan covering 2027-2029, as well as a declaration on cooperation in the civilian use of artificial intelligence.

A growing, if uneven, partnership

Trade between Russia and African countries exceeded $27 billion in 2025, Ushakov said, compared with about $16.8 billion in 2019, when the first summit was held in Sochi. The second summit took place in St Petersburg in 2023. Leaders arriving in Moscow included Kenya's President William Ruto, on his first trip to Russia since taking office, with Kenya seeking wider export access for tea, coffee, cut flowers and fresh produce, and Tanzania's Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba, representing President Samia Suluhu Hassan. Putin is also scheduled to meet Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Sources: Fana Media Corporation and Anadolu Agency explainer (via EuropeSays).