Third Russia-Africa Summit opens in Moscow with delegations from 48 African countries
Russia hosts the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, with 48 of Africa's 54 countries confirmed. Anadolu previews trade, energy and a 2027-2029 action plan, while an Al Jazeera opinion piece argues the relationship favours Moscow.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 1The third Russia-Africa Summit opens in Moscow on Wednesday 28 October, with delegations from 48 of Africa's 54 countries confirmed. Anadolu AgencyN “Delegations from 48 of Africa’s 54 countries have confirmed participation in the two-day summit” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1According to Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov, 22 of the delegations are led by heads of state. Anadolu AgencyN “with 22 represented by heads of state, according to Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Mixed · 2Russian President Vladimir Putin and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the current African Union chair, are to co-chair the gathering. Al Jazeera's opinion piece says they will co-chair a plenary session on Thursday. Anadolu AgencyN “Russian President Vladimir Putin and Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the current African Union chair, will co-chair the gathering.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Al JazeeraLC “Putin is scheduled to cochair Thursday’s plenary session with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Centre · 1The programme includes summit sessions, bilateral meetings and the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum. Putin is scheduled to meet Egypt's Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Ethiopia's Abiy Ahmed. Anadolu AgencyN “Among the leaders that Putin is scheduled to meet are Egypt’s Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1Participants are expected to adopt a final declaration, a Russia-Africa Partnership Forum action plan for 2027-2029, and a separate declaration on civilian use of artificial intelligence. Trade, investment, energy, agriculture, food security and logistics are expected to be central topics. Anadolu AgencyN “Participants are expected to adopt a final declaration and a Russia-Africa Partnership Forum action plan covering 2027-2029.”“A separate declaration on cooperation in the civilian use of artificial intelligence is also planned” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Mixed · 2Trade between Russia and Africa exceeded $27 billion in 2025, according to Ushakov, up from about $16.8 billion in 2019. Al Jazeera's opinion writer cites $27.1bn and notes that Putin pledged at the 2019 Sochi summit to double annual trade to $40bn, calling the result a shortfall. Anadolu AgencyN “Trade between Russia and African countries exceeded $27 billion in 2025, according to Ushakov.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Al JazeeraLC “Merchandise trade with Africa reached just $27.1bn in 2025 against Putin’s $40bn target.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Centre · 1Earlier summits were held in Sochi in October 2019 and St Petersburg in July 2023, where leaders agreed to meet every three years. A ministerial conference followed in Sochi in 2024 and in Cairo in December 2025. Anadolu AgencyN “Leaders also agreed to hold the summit every three years.”“The first ministerial conference was held in Sochi in 2024, followed by a second meeting in Cairo in December 2025” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Mixed · 2Anadolu notes that after the 2023 summit Moscow delivered 200,000 metric tons of free grain to six countries, and that Rosatom is building Egypt's El Dabaa nuclear plant. Al Jazeera adds that El Dabaa is financed largely by a $25bn Russian loan Egypt must repay with interest, and that Russia exported $14bn of goods to Africa in the first eight months of 2026 while importing $3.2bn. Anadolu AgencyN “Moscow delivered 200,000 metric tons of grain free of charge to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic and Eritrea” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Al JazeeraLC “the project is being financed largely through a $25bn Russian loan that Egypt must repay with interest”“Russia exporting $14bn in goods to Africa during the first eight months of the year while importing just $3.2bn.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Left · 1The Al Jazeera opinion piece also argues that Russia's military and security presence, including the Africa Corps in Mali, Niger and the Central African Republic, protects allied rulers while civilians suffer abuses. It cites Sweden's Defence Research Agency, which identified at least 57 Russian military and security agreements with 39 African countries, and Human Rights Watch reports on killings in Mali. These are the author's assertions and are not addressed in the Anadolu preview. Al JazeeraLC “Sweden’s Defence Research Agency identified at least 57 Russian military and security agreements involving 39 African countries”“Moscow’s military assistance has brought more violence and no dependable protection.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- An opinion column arguing that Russia is building dependence rather than partnership, using the summit as a hook to criticise trade imbalance, unfinished investments, military abuses and support for allied rulers.
- Emphasis
- Unmet trade targets, the trade deficit, abandoned projects, Africa Corps and Wagner conduct, media influence, and a call for Africa to demand accountability from Russia.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives little on the agenda, the AI declaration, or African governments' own reasons for engaging Russia, beyond acknowledging that wheat supplies meet genuine food security needs.
- Charged language
- “dependence disguised as partnership”“crush a mutiny”“illiberal rulers”
- For example
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“Russia’s growing influence has done far more to advance Moscow’s interests and protect allied rulers than to deliver the prosperity and security promised to ordinary Africans.” — Al Jazeera
“the Kremlin is exploiting Africa’s wealth and political vulnerabilities to advance its own economic and geopolitical interests.” — Al Jazeera
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- A straightforward explainer previewing the summit's attendance, programme, expected documents and sectors of cooperation, relying mainly on Kremlin aide Ushakov's figures.
- Emphasis
- Attendance numbers, trade growth since 2019, energy, grain and fertiliser, logistics, and the summit's history.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention criticism of the relationship, the trade imbalance, unmet earlier targets, or Russia's military activities in Africa.
- For example
-
“Trade and investment are expected to be among the central issues, alongside energy, agriculture, infrastructure, food security, science, technology, education and humanitarian cooperation.” — Anadolu Agency
“Energy remains one of the most developed areas of Russian-African cooperation.” — Anadolu Agency
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The third Russia-Africa Summit is being held in Moscow, co-chaired by Putin and African Union chair Evariste Ndayishimiye.
- Russia-Africa trade was about $27 billion in 2025.
- Earlier summits were held in Sochi (2019) and St Petersburg (2023), and a 2027-2029 action plan is expected.
- Rosatom is building the El Dabaa nuclear plant in Egypt.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether the Russia-Africa relationship benefits African countries
- Left
- The opinion column says Russia gains resources and military footholds and protects allied rulers while ordinary Africans face insecurity and unfulfilled commitments.
- Centre
- The explainer presents cooperation in energy, grain and trade as growing, citing Russian officials' figures, without assessing who benefits.
-
Summit timing
- Left
- The opinion column refers to a Thursday plenary session.
- Centre
- Anadolu says the two-day summit starts Wednesday.
Russia place
Russian officials, via aide Yury Ushakov, present growing trade and broad cooperation; critics cited by Al Jazeera say Russian gains outweigh African ones.
“Trade between Russia and African countries exceeded $27 billion in 2025, according to Ushakov.” — Anadolu Agency
“a new plan for 2027-2029 expected to advance what they call “mutually beneficial cooperation”.” — Al Jazeera
Russia-Africa Summit event
The summit is framed by organisers as a forum to review earlier agreements and set priorities through 2029.
“The Moscow gathering will now review implementation of those earlier agreements while setting priorities through 2029.” — Anadolu Agency
Left1 article
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Al JazeeraLC · · Opinion
Russia is selling Africa dependence disguised as partnership
Critical Opinion column portraying Russia's Africa policy as extractive and protective of allied rulers.
Centre1 article
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EXPLAINER – What to expect from Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow
Neutral Event explainer presenting the summit's agenda and cooperation record largely through Russian officials' figures.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 28 Oct 06:44 First Anadolu AgencyN EXPLAINER – What to expect from Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow
- 28 Oct 07:25 +41m Al JazeeraLC Russia is selling Africa dependence disguised as partnership Opinion
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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