Remarks : President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the Plenary Session of the Third Russia–Africa Summit
🎙 Remarks (http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/81113) by President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the Plenary Session of the Third Russia–Africa Summit (https://t.me/MFARussia/33007) (Moscow, October 29, 2026)
Representatives of around 50 African countries, including Heads of State and government, as well as Leaders of the continent’s integration associations, are taking part in the Summit (https://t.me/MFARussia/33007).
💬 Vladimir Putin: Russia and Africa are united by truly strong bonds of friendship and close partnership.
We are natural allies in building a genuinely democratic #MultipolarWorld order – one free from diktat and double standards, based on respect for international law and the fundamental principles of the UN Charter (https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/full-text) in their entirety and interrelationship.
☝️ Let me recall the words (https://www.marxists.org/subject/africa/nyerere/1967/arusha-declaration.htm)of Julius Nyerere, an outstanding Leader of the anti-colonial movement and the first President of Tanzania, – “independence means self-reliance”.
Guided by this approach, our country has always stood by the peoples of Africa, assisting their struggle against colonial oppression (https://t.me/MFARussia/27656) and providing comprehensive and selfless support to the continent’s states in their pursuit of freedom and genuine independence, sovereign development, and their own political and socioeconomic models.
I would like to emphasise that Russia has always been, and remains, interested in seeing African countries defend their sovereignty, grow steadily, and strengthen their economies and social sectors. We stand ready to continue working together with you in all these areas to achieve these goals.
Russia is a reliable supplier of food and agricultural products to African markets, making a tangible contribution to food security across Africa. In particular, we supplied more than 18 million tonnes of grain to Africa in 2025 and another 13 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2026 alone. Russian mineral fertiliser supplies totalled around 1.5 million tonnes in 2025 and have already exceeded 2.2 million tonnes in 2026.
Our country also makes annual contributions to the UN World Food Programme’s (https://www.wfp.org/) budget for projects supporting the agricultural sector in African countries and regularly provides humanitarian aid free of charge to African states in need.
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🌐 It is gratifying that the positions of Russia and African countries on the most pressing issues in world politics are largely similar or identical. We advocate dialogue among equals and consideration for the interests of all states.
Our country seeks to do everything possible to strengthen Africa’s role in key multilateral forums. We champion fairer African representation in global decision-making, including in the UN Security Council (https://www.un.org/en/ga/screform/) and international financial institutions.
We supported the resolution (https://t.me/MFARussia/27656) adopted by the UN General Assembly last December establishing December 14 as the International Day against Colonialism (https://www.un.org/en/observances/anti-colonialism-day). And, of course, we welcome the UN’s decision (https://t.me/MFARussia/28894) in March this year to recognise the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity (https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/4106660?ln=en).
Russia makes a substantial contribution to resolving existing conflicts and preventing new ones on the African continent. In doing so, we consistently uphold the fundamental principle that you yourselves proclaimed: “African solutions to African problems”.
We have intergovernmental agreements on military and military-technical cooperation with 45 African countries. African military personnel and law enforcement officers receive training at Russian educational institutions.
Of course, I must also mention Russia’s systematic efforts to expand its diplomatic presence on the continent. Since the previous Summit in 2023 (https://t.me/MFARussia/16946), eight new Russian embassies have opened in African countries, bringing the total to 48. We are also developing a network of trade missions. There are currently only six, but their activities cover 16 African countries.
🤝 For our part, we provide all necessary assistance to African diplomatic missions operating in Russia. Their number is also growing. We are aware of plans by Botswana, Seychelles and Togo to open embassies in Moscow in the near future and, naturally, support these plans.
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Full video (with English translation) of President of Russia Vladimir Putin’s address (https://t.me/MFARussia/33044) at the Plenary Session of the Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum (https://t.me/MFARussia/33044). https://t.me/MFARussia/33082