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LIVE UPDATES: Russia-Africa Summit Day One

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The third Russia–Africa Summit will take place in Moscow on October 28–29, with Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to hold more than 20 bilateral meetings on the sidelines. Representatives from 48 of Africa’s 54 countries will attend, including 22 delegations led by heads of state.

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LIVE UPDATES: Russia-Africa Summit Day One

04:00 GMT 28.10.2026 (Updated: 06:33 GMT 28.10.2026)

The third Russia–Africa Summit is taking place in Moscow on October 28–29, with Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to hold more than 20 bilateral meetings on the sidelines. Representatives from 48 of Africa’s 54 countries will attend, including 22 delegations led by heads of state.

The summit's program will begin on October 28 at 1:00 p.m. with a plenary session of the Third Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum at Moscow's Gostiny Dvor exhibition center.

Around 4,000 Russian and African entrepreneurs from various sectors have been invited to attend. The forum's program features more than 40 events organized into four thematic areas.

The Russia–Africa Summit is the largest and most significant event in relations between Russia and African countries. It aims to bring mutually beneficial partnerships to a new level, addressing the challenges of the 21st century.

The summit also seeks to strengthen comprehensive, equal cooperation between Russia and African nations across politics, security, economics, science, technology, culture, and humanitarian affairs.

Follow Sputnik’s live feed to learn more.

Table of contents

New firstOld first

08:39 GMT 28.10.2026

Algerian Journalist: Global Energy Policy Must Rise Above Political Tensions

President Putin’s remarks highlight the need for dialogue and coordination among members of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), says Rafik Mabkhouch, a representative of Algerian news channel Echorouk.

"So there is an intention, namely, on the part of the Russian president, aimed at achieving this balance today between producing and consuming countries, which ensures, in essence, an energy policy that would be truly rational and sustainable — one that would allow the Forum to serve as a genuine platform for this dialogue and coordination among its members," he added.

08:31 GMT 28.10.2026

African Delegations Flock to Rosoboronexport Stand at Russia-Africa Summit to Learn The Specs of Russian Weapons

08:18 GMT 28.10.2026

Third Russia–Africa Summit Opens in Moscow With Delegations From 48 African Nations

Moscow is hosting the third Russia–Africa Summit and Economic and Humanitarian Forum, bringing together representatives from 48 of Africa’s 54 countries, including 22 delegations led by heads of state.

08:15 GMT 28.10.2026

Moroccan Editor: Russia-Africa Ties Must Not Repeat The Mistakes of Colonialism

"We must derive the benefit and avoid falling into the same traps that existed previously. Nowadays, for example, Moroccan-Russian ties are positive relations that lead to a strategic partnership," Abd Al-Rahim Al-Asri, editor-in-chief of Moroccan outlet Hespress, tells Sputnik on the sidelines of the third Russia–Africa Summit.

08:02 GMT 28.10.2026

Moscow Welcomes Huge Interest in Russia-Africa Forum - Deputy Foreign Minister

Moscow welcomes the huge interest in the Russia-Africa forum, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Wednesday.

"Of course, we welcome the huge interest that is being observed on the African continent and beyond in relation to the Moscow event. The Russia-Africa Forum is already a global event," Ryabkov told reporters on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit.

08:00 GMT 28.10.2026

Digital Divide Risks Becoming New Form of Colonialism – Russian Foreign Ministry Official

The digital divide could become a new global dividing line and fertile ground for modern forms of colonialism, Andrey Akulchev, acting director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department of International Information Security, said.

"Africa, which accounts for nearly one-fifth of the world's population, has less than 1% of global data center capacity. If things are left as they are, the digital divide could become a new global dividing line and fertile ground for modern forms of colonialism," he said during the session "AI as a Driver of Development for Russia and Africa: Science and Human Resources" at the Russia–Africa Summit.

The diplomat added that Russia advocates a central role for the United Nations in regulating artificial intelligence and opposes closed forums where a small group of countries develops rules and then imposes them on the rest of the world.

07:59 GMT 28.10.2026

Russia Increases Fertilizer Exports to Africa by 15% in First Half of 2026 – Industry Association Head

Russia increased its fertilizer exports to Africa by 15% year over year in the first half of 2026, with Russian products now accounting for one in every three tonnes of fertilizer imported by the continent, Andrey Guryev, head of the Russian Association of Fertilizer Producers (RAFP), said.

"In the first six months of this year alone, we increased supplies by another 15% year over year. So I can confidently say that today, every third tonne of fertilizer imported into Africa comes from Russia," Guryev said at the Russia–Africa Forum.

He noted that African countries represent one of the most promising and important markets for Russian fertilizer producers.

"Over the past 10 years, Russia has increased its mineral fertilizer supplies to African countries by 2.5 times, from 1 million tonnes to a record 2.5 million tonnes today," the association head added.

Guryev emphasized that Russia is continuously expanding its product range and developing new fertilizer formulations with minimal soil-acidifying effects, which he said are particularly relevant for African countries due to high levels of soil acidity.

07:44 GMT 28.10.2026

Russia Ready to Share AI Technologies Fairly and Without Political Conditions

Russia has significant human resources, scientific, technological and energy potential in the field of artificial intelligence and is ready to share these capabilities without imposing political conditions, Andrey Akulchev, acting director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department of International Information Security, said.

"Our country possesses substantial human resources, scientific, technological and energy potential and is ready to share it fairly, on an equal footing and without political conditions," he said during the session "AI as a Driver of Development for Russia and Africa: Science and Human Resources" at the Russia–Africa Summit.

The diplomat noted that Russia ranks among the world's top 10 countries in terms of total computing capacity and infrastructure readiness for AI, while the overall adoption rate of AI technologies in priority sectors of the economy has exceeded 30%.

07:41 GMT 28.10.2026

Russia Plans to Establish Intergovernmental Commissions With Three More African Countries Soon – Minister

Russia plans to establish intergovernmental commissions with three additional African countries in the near future, Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said.

"We are actively expanding our network of intergovernmental commissions. We currently have 22 commissions operating, and we expect to sign several more agreements, three of them in the very near future," he said at the Russia–Africa Forum.

Discussions on similar agreements are also underway with several other African countries, the minister added.

"We understand that the intergovernmental commission mechanism is highly effective and allows us to coordinate our efforts. Alongside commission meetings, we organize business forums to engage the private sector in dialogue. Businesses are increasingly active in visiting these countries, exploring opportunities and looking for partners," Reshetnikov said.

07:20 GMT 28.10.2026

Egyptian President Heads to Moscow for Russia-Africa Summit

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has departed for Moscow, where he will take part in the Russia-Africa summit, the presidential administration office said on Wednesday.

"President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi heads today to Moscow, Russia, to lead the Egyptian delegation at the third Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled to take place on October 28-29, 2026," the statement read.

Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said earlier that Russian President Vladimir Putin will gold a meeting with the Egyptian president.

The Egyptian leader also personally attended the two previous Russia-Africa summits, held in Sochi in 2019 and St. Petersburg in 2023.

06:58 GMT 28.10.2026

Russia, Sierra Leone Discussing Energy Cooperation - Ambassador

Russia and Sierra Leone are discussing energy cooperation as part of bilateral contacts and various international events, Russian Ambassador to Sierra Leone Andrei Stolyarov told Sputnik.

"We view the Sierra Leonean leadership's interest in developing energy cooperation with Russia as evidence of significant potential for expanding bilateral ties... Issues of energy cooperation are already being discussed as part of bilateral contacts and international industry events," Stolyarov said ahead of the Russia-Africa summit.

Ensuring a sustainable and affordable energy supply is a necessary condition for Sierra Leone's industrial development, including the effective development of its mineral resource base, the ambassador said.

06:58 GMT 28.10.2026

Russia Discusses Deployment of Maritime Hub on Africa East Coast - Ryabkov

Russia is discussing the deployment of a maritime hub on the east coast of Africa as part of the North-South transport route, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Wednesday.

"Specifically, we are talking, among other things, about the deployment of a Russian port transport and logistics hub on the east coast of Africa as part of the international North-South transport corridor," Ryabkov said the Russia-Africa forum.

06:46 GMT 28.10.2026

Ryabkov: Russia Helps Africa's Agriculture Without Blackmail or Political Strings — Unlike the West

"While the West has turned food and fertilizer into an instrument of geopolitical and geo-economic blackmail, Russia attaches no political conditions to this cooperation," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said at the Russia-Africa summit.

"I am convinced this will continue. And the African-Russian agro-alliance will become an important link in the new global architecture."

06:42 GMT 28.10.2026

Ryabkov: Launching a Russia-Africa Agro-Industrial Alliance is Now a Top Priority

"We are putting the task of launching the Russia-Africa agro-industrial alliance squarely on the agenda," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said at a session titled "Russia-Africa Agro-Industrial Alliance: Overcoming Challenges Together" during the Russia-Africa forum.

06:37 GMT 28.10.2026

Russia in talks to build a naval logistics hub on Africa's east coast — Deputy Foreign Minister

"We are discussing, among other things, the placement of a Russian port transport and logistics hub on the east coast of Africa as part of the International North-South Transport Corridor," Sergey Ryabkov said at the Russia-Africa summit.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov during a briefing on arms control and strategic stability at the Rossiya Segodnya International Multimedia Press Center in Moscow. - Sputnik International

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