The Italian consulting agency, Special Eurasia, posted on 15 October 2026 an analysis titled "Russia-Africa Summit: Moscow's Next Step Towards the Global South" by Vlad Antonov.
The third Russia-Africa Summit is scheduled for 28-29 October in Moscow. This report examines the strategic framework underpinning Russian-African relations, the practical opportunities emerging from regional initiatives, and the significance of the summit for Moscow's efforts to consolidate mutually beneficial partnerships with African countries.
The economy will be the central theme with an agenda covering trade, investment, logistics, energy, food security, advanced technologies, and humanitarian cooperation. A shift is expected away from declaratory agreements towards practically oriented bilateral economic arrangements. Russia's expansion into Africa will face growing opposition not only from Western countries, but also from China.
Comment: Russia-Africa trade is a good indicator of Moscow's relations with the continent. In 2025, it totaled only $28 billion compared to $400 billion for the European Union and $300 billion for China. More importantly, Africa exported only $4 billion worth of goods to Russia and imported $24 billion from Russia.
