Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the plans after talks with his Kenyan counterpart, Musalia Mudavadi
The third meeting of the leaders of Russia and Africa is planned for autumn 2026, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.
Speaking after talks in Moscow with his Kenyan counterpart, Musalia Mudavadi, Lavrov announced that the two diplomats had discussed the upcoming meeting.
“(During the talks, all sides) analyzed the progress of the implementation of the agreement reached at the second ministerial meeting of the Russia-Africa Forum, held in Cairo last December, and exchanged ideas about the preparations for the third Russia-Africa summit… The third meeting will be held this fall,” Lavrov noted.
The Kenyan foreign minister stressed the importance of strengthening Russia’s cooperation with regional economic blocs. “Cooperation and cooperation between Russia and the African Union, as well as regional economic operators, is becoming very important. We must do everything possible to maintain this cooperation.” He said.
Lavrov did not specify the location of the third summit, although Mudavadi indicated that it will be held in October in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the meeting, Russian Ambassador to Senegal Dmitry Kurakov said in January. “President Putin intends to participate (in the meeting), regardless of where it will be held,” Kurakov noted.
The first meeting of heads of Russia and Africa took place in October 2019 in the Russian city of Sochi. It was led by Putin and the chairman of the African Union at the time Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the president of Egypt. Leaders from several African countries attended the meeting aimed at expanding commercial, investment and political cooperation between Russia and the continent.
The second summit was held in St. Petersburg in July 2023 and was organized by Putin and Comoros President Azali Assoumani, who was the chairman of the African Union at the time. The meeting brought together the leaders of Russia and Africa to discuss economic cooperation, energy cooperation and food security.
