The Africa Report published on 31 July 2023 a commentary titled "10 Reasons Why Putin's Africa Forum Flopped" by Ghanaian Bright Simons.
The author argues the Russia-Africa Summit flopped because Moscow failed to address substantial deficiencies in its offering to Africa. More specifically:
1. Unequal trade is getting worse.
2. Russia has few real trade partners.
3. There is little technology transfer.
4. African students in Russia play a limited role in advancing Moscow's image.
5. Russia lacks the capacity to follow through.
6. The summit failed to deal with priority issues such as climate change.
7. Russia ignored African civil society.
8. The event lacked any serious African cultural expression.
9. Most large African companies failed to participate.
10. There was no engagement with African entrepreneurs and startups.
