African Leaders Meet Putin at Kremlin for Third Russia-Africa Summit

Representatives of almost 50 African countries met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow on October 29 for the third Russia-Africa Summit, according to the Russian presidency. Putin and Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye, who also chairs the African Union, co-chaired the meeting. Participants included heads of state and government and leaders of African regional organizations. The Kremlin said delegates were expected to adopt a final declaration and a Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan for 2027-2029. A declaration on cooperation in civilian artificial intelligence applications was also on the expected agenda, along with intergovernmental and interdepartmental agreements. The official account described these as planned outcomes, rather than documents already adopted or signed. In remarks in Moscow on October 28, Ndayishimiye called for more processing of African raw materials within Africa and a wider African role in production and marketing. “We want to participate in the entire value chain,” he said. He argued that the wealth generated should benefit African populations more effectively and called for practical decisions, contracts, investment projects and humanitarian initiatives. Burundi’s presidency had announced his participation after he received Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on July 10 at Ntare Rushatsi Palace. It said Ndayishimiye had accepted an invitation to the October 28-29 gathering and would attend both as Burundi’s president and as African Union chair.