Russia-Africa partnership under scrutiny: Draft joint statement of on-going forum sparks concerns over neocolonialism, deceit , by Khwima Nkhonjera

The first Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum has kicked off in Sochi, Russia, amid headlines about the gathering not just being about strengthening bilateral ties. A joint statement drafted for the summit has raised eyebrows, with claims of cooperation which pro-democracy supporters argue are “misleading” or “downright false”.

This two-day gathering organised by Roscongress Foundation seeks to implement decisions made at the 2023 summit and strengthen cooperation between Russia and African nations across various sectors, a partnership many pro-democracy enthusiasts see as more transactional for Russia’s benefit. These include politics, security, economics, science, technology, culture, and humanitarian affairs.

“The Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum is an important initiative that aims to intensify comprehensive cooperation between Russia and African countries in all its dimensions,” said Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the Russian President. Kobyakov stressed the importance of the declaration adopted at the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit, which established a new dialogue format for regular meetings to exchange views on ways to implement the agreements reached with the countries of the African continent. “We firmly believe that the Ministerial Conference in Sochi will be an important step in developing cooperation between Russia and Africa.”

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