Russia offers grain, fertilisers, technology and military cooperation as Moscow seeks to strengthen its strategic partnerships across the continent.
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to deepen Moscow’s economic, agricultural and security cooperation with African countries, presenting Russia as a partner committed to national sovereignty and development as the Kremlin seeks to expand its influence across the continent.
Speaking at the second plenary session of the Russia–Africa Summit in Moscow, Putin framed the relationship around a shared commitment to a multipolar international order, free from what he described as external diktat and double standards.
“Russia and Africa are bound by truly strong ties of friendship and close partnership,” Putin said, arguing that both sides have an interest in strengthening a global system based on international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.
The Russian president said Moscow remained committed to supporting African countries in defending their sovereignty, developing their economies and strengthening their social sectors. He also highlighted investment, food security and military cooperation as key areas for expanding bilateral relations.
Food security at the centre of economic ties
Agricultural trade featured prominently in Putin’s address, with the president citing Russian grain and fertiliser exports as evidence of Moscow’s contribution to African food security.
According to figures provided by Putin, Russia supplied more than 18 million tonnes of grain to African markets in 2025 and a further 13 million tonnes during the first nine months of 2026.
Russian exports of mineral fertilisers reached approximately 1.5 million tonnes in 2025 and had exceeded 2.2 million tonnes in the first nine months of this year, he added.
Putin also said Russia continued to contribute to the United Nations World Food Programme and provide humanitarian assistance to African countries in need.
The figures underline the importance of agricultural commodities in Russia’s engagement with African economies, particularly as governments across the continent seek to secure food supplies and manage exposure to international market volatility.
Investment and technology transfer
Putin said Russian companies were involved in investment projects across a range of sectors, including electricity generation, civilian nuclear energy, mining, industrial cooperation, logistics and tourism.
He argued that Russian businesses operated on an equal footing with African partners, reinvested earnings in local economies, transferred technology and expertise, worked with domestic subcontractors and created jobs.
The president contrasted this approach with the extractive practices associated with former colonial powers, presenting Russia as an alternative economic partner for African governments seeking to diversify their international relationships.
However, the speech offered no consolidated figures on the value of Russian investment across Africa or a breakdown of the projects currently under implementation. The scale of the economic partnership therefore remains difficult to assess from the figures cited in the address alone.
Security and military cooperation
Security cooperation was another central pillar of Putin’s remarks.
The Russian president said Moscow supported the principle of “African solutions to African problems” and was working with governments across the continent to strengthen domestic stability, defence capabilities and law enforcement.
He also announced that Russia had concluded intergovernmental agreements on military and military-technical cooperation with 45 African countries. African military personnel and law enforcement officers, he said, continued to receive training at Russian educational institutions.
The emphasis on defence reflects the strategic importance of security partnerships to Moscow’s relations with African states, particularly in a geopolitical environment in which international competition for influence extends across military, economic and diplomatic spheres.
Putin presented Russia’s role as consistent with African sovereignty and the principle of non-interference. The practical implications of these partnerships, however, vary by country and depend on the specific agreements, operational arrangements and security priorities involved.
A multipolar order as the political framework
Beyond individual economic and security commitments, Putin’s speech sought to place Russia–Africa relations within a broader challenge to the existing international order.
The Kremlin has consistently promoted multipolarity as an alternative to a system it characterises as dominated by Western powers. In his address, Putin argued that Russia and African countries shared an interest in strengthening their independence and resisting external political pressure.
For Moscow, deeper engagement with African governments also offers opportunities to broaden diplomatic partnerships, develop commercial relationships and reinforce its international position.
For African states, cooperation with Russia can provide an additional source of agricultural supplies, investment, military training and diplomatic engagement. The extent to which these relationships deliver sustainable economic benefits will depend on implementation, financing, technology transfer and the capacity of local economies to capture value from joint projects.
Putin’s address therefore combined a political appeal for a multipolar world with practical offers of cooperation in sectors central to African development and state security.
The central question is whether the commitments outlined in Moscow will translate into measurable investment, stronger productive capacity and long-term economic gains for African partners.
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