On July 24, 2024, the Valdai Discussion Club will hold the 2nd African Conference, titled “Russia – Africa: Strategy for Cooperation in a Multipolar World.” The first African conference was held a year ago in St. Petersburg on the eve of the Russia-Africa summit. Now, for the first time, the Valdai Club Conference will take place on African soil. It will be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania with the support of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Tanzania and the Russian House in Dar es Salaam. The conference will be attended by Valdai Club experts from African countries, as well as representatives of the political, expert and media community of Tanzania.
Relations between Russia and African countries have been developing for a long time. Their origins can be traced back to the pre-revolutionary era, when Russia supported Ethiopian independence during the country’s anti-colonial struggle during that period. The Soviet Union then left behind an important and multifaceted historical legacy in its relations with Africa. Support for African countries in their struggle against colonialism, large-scale economic assistance in industrialisation and the modernisation of agriculture, significant cooperation programmes in the fields of education and culture – all these Soviet achievements laid the foundation for modern Russian-African relations. Now they are based on the values of mutual respect and solidarity, on the strengthening of a multipolar world, on recognising the right of African states to their own path of development, to preserving their identity, and on a common struggle against inequality and neo-colonialism.
The multilateral Russia-Africa summits had a key influence on the development of our current cooperation. The first of them was held in Sochi in 2019, and the second in St. Petersburg in 2023. The summits have taken steps to systematize Russian-African relations. The second summit approved a detailed action plan for the medium term. It was also noted that Russia, when offering its cooperation programmes in Africa, does not intend to compete with anyone, but views its contribution as a kind of added value for mutually beneficial development. Now, a year after the St. Petersburg summit, a confidential and frank expert dialogue seems appropriate in promoting mutual cooperation and effectively implementing the tasks set at the summit. The Club conference will be dedicated to these goals.
The conference will focus on several topics. The key one is the political dialogue between Russia and African countries a year after the St. Petersburg summit. Its development was significantly influenced by the expansion of BRICS in 2024, when, in addition to South Africa, two more African states became BRICS members: Egypt and Ethiopia. Thus, African countries received additional representation in the key structure that determines the general principles of the countries of the Global Non-West and South to world politics and economics. Among other topics, the conference will consider economic cooperation between Russia and African countries; our shared values, the role of media in their promotion and cultural cooperation; the approaches of our countries to the problem of climate change in connection with the social agenda, and tasks for combating poverty and inequality in the world.
The conference will constitute the further development of the Valdai Club’s expert work on African topics. Among its main elements the following can be selected. Before the Sochi Russia-Africa Summit in the fall of 2019, the Valdai Discussion Club, following a series of expert discussions, published a special report, “Russia’s Return to Africa: Strategy and Prospects” . Among its authors were Nathalia Zaiser Vadim Balytnikov , Andrei Yemelyanov
, Dmitry Poletaev , Igor Sid. The report was focused on addressing the problems associated with Russia restoring its position in Africa, which was lost during the post-Soviet period, and on goals and objectives in achieving this. Also in the report, a significant space was devoted to the analysis of the values which Russia and African countries share, which have served as the key to a new rapprochement and intensified cooperation. Among them, the Club’s experts highlighted the values of commitment to decolonization, Afro-optimism, Afro-intellectualism and a number of others.
The Club continued its expert analysis of African topics after this report and the Sochi summit. Valdai discussions were held on the settlement of the Libyan crisis. Philani Mthembu analysed South Africa’s experience in combating the COVID-19 epidemic . Nourhan ElSheikh turned to the analysis of values in an atomized society during the Covid pandemic.
The African theme in the works of Valdai Club experts received an additional dimension after February 24, 2022. Abayomi Azikiwe analysed the reaction in African countries to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Rasigan Maharajh raised the question of “creative destruction” of the global order based on the hegemony of the minority over the majority . Nourhan ElSheikh analysed the grain crisis in African countries. Roger Tsafack Nanfosso addressed the history of the Russafrika concept and how much it can serve our needs amid the current geopolitical conditions.
This work progressed significantly in 2023-24. In anticipation of the Second Russia-Africa Summit, the Club held its own first Russian-African conference in St. Petersburg on July 25, 2023 . About 50 experts from Russia and various countries throughout the continent took part in it. The conference discussed in detail the political, economic and humanitarian aspects of cooperation between Russia and African countries, and became a kind of final synchronization of watches before the Summit. Also, a separate session of the conference was devoted to the historical heritage of the Soviet Union in Africa and the possibility of its use in modern conditions.
Before the summit, the Valdai Club prepared a special report, “Russia and Africa: An Audit of Relations”. The team of authors included Lora Chkoniya , Elena Kharitonova , Israel Nyaburi Nyadera
, Dmitry Poletaev , Roger Tsafack Nanfosso
, Nathalia Zaiser. The main focus of the report was on the analysis of the practical development of relations during the four years between the First and Second Russia-Africa Summits, what was previously planned, what has not yet worked out, and how this can be improved upon. Later, this Valdai report was presented at a briefing for ambassadors and diplomatic representatives of African countries at the Russian International Affairs Council.
During these two years, African themes were also the focus of the Club. Pavel Kalmychek, Director of the Department for Bipartite Cooperation Development at the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, analysed the results and prospects of trade and economic relations between Russia and the countries of the continent. Vladimir Shubin presented an article about the connection between Soviet heritage and modernity. Mikatekiso Kubayi published a text about relations between Russia and South Africa, Nourhan ElSheikh – about the expectations of African countries from Russia in modern conditions , and about the role of historical memory in connection with the centenary of Egyptian independence, Vadim Balytnikov wrote abbout the fight against neocolonialism in the political discourse of South Africa, Irina Kolgushkina addressed Indian policy in Africa, Israel Nyaburi Nyadera wrote about the results of the Russia-Africa Summit, Nicodemus Minde reviewed the role of Africa in the modern geopolitical struggle, Ricardo Santos reviewed the specifics of Mozambique in Russia-African relations, Rasigan Maharajh wrote about the main tasks of Russian-African cooperation, Elena Kharitonova reveiwed the consequences of the change of power in Niger, and Konstantin Pantserev
wrote about training highly qualified personnel for Africa. Also in focus were the tasks of Russia’s Africa strategy. Adu Yao Nicaise analysed geopolitical changes in West African countries and the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States.
During this period, Valdai discussions were held about relations between Russia and South Africa, about protests and coups in Africa, about youth movements in Africa, about the role of digital technology in Africa and the possibilities of Russian-African cooperation in this area.
Another important topic in Valdai’s expert activities in 2023-24. was associated with global inequality and the struggle to overcome it. The Valdai Club prepared a report on the policy of the BRICS countries (including the new member states) to combat inequality. The authors of this report were Maria Apanovich and two experts from the Durban University of Technology (South Africa), Nirmala Dorasamy and Ndivhuho Tshikovhi.
The Club has also published expert texts by Mikatekiso Kubayi
on this topic – on the role of countries of the Global South in international organisations, Konstantin Pantserev has written on the problems associated with technological sovereignty and inequality which face African countries, Rasigan Maharajh wrote about the role of BRICS in overcoming global inequality, and Driss Guerraoui wrote about rethinking the paradigm of African development and others.
The Second Russian-African Conference of the Valdai Club is designed to develop this expert work, as well as to identify new tasks for the Club’s research activities on African topics.
The Valdai Discussion Club was established in 2004. It is named after Lake Valdai, which is located close to Veliky Novgorod, where the Club’s first meeting took place.
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