Ruto reveals Putin’s decision to stop recruiting Kenyans into Russian army

The third Russia-Africa summit convened in Moscow on October 28-29, bringing together 48 out of 54 African nations. The event was co-chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, who leads the African Union. As a result, three key documents were created: the summit's final declaration, a declaration on civilian AI use, and a 2027-2029 partnership forum action plan. Over 60 agreements were signed, including at a parallel economic and humanitarian forum.

A major focus of the summit was opposing sanctions, colonial-era impacts, and history rewriting. Russia and African states agreed to resist outside political and economic pressure, coordinate positions on sanctions, and counter attempts to falsify history. Russian scientists are developing a methodology to assess colonial-era damage, with preliminary results due in 2027 and a research lab opening in Uganda by November 2026.

Putin accused Western countries of seeking to keep Africa economically dependent and saddled with new debts. He stated Russia is prepared to transfer technology and boost production on the continent. African Union Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf emphasized the need for local industry development and access to international capital, also calling for reforming the U.N. Security Council to increase African representation.

Military cooperation between Russia and Africa was highlighted, with Putin noting 45 African states have intergovernmental agreements for military and military-technical cooperation. Russia trains African servicemen and law enforcement officers at Russian institutions. Special attention was given to the Sahel region, which includes Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

Putin stressed the global significance of resolving the Sahel crisis, and Russia has expanded its military presence in the area since the Wagner Group's dissolution in August 2023.

During the summit, Amnesty International called on Russia to stop coercive recruitment of African citizens for the Ukraine war. The summit also discussed AI cooperation, with Putin stating that around 40,000 African students study in Russia and Moscow is expanding training programs for foreign civil servants. Russia, along with China and France, is one of three countries with full digital sovereignty.

Economically, Russia's trade with Africa reached $27 billion in 2025. Rusal and Ghana's state-owned Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation signed agreements to create joint ventures in Ghana, focusing on bauxite and alumina production. Russia and Ghana also plan to build the country's first nuclear power plant. Russia's agricultural product shipments to Africa exceeded 2.2 million tons in 2026, and trade with Africa surpassed $27 billion.