Russia makes dynamic return to Africa as the West loses ground – Energy, nuclear, and food at the center

While the West loses ground, Moscow is building influence. From nuclear power plants and pipelines to food and digital states, Russia declares itself ready to consolidate its role as a key player on the African continent.

Russian projects in critical sectors

Moscow has successfully implemented a series of projects in Africa, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said in an interview with TASS. As he noted, Russia is determined to expand trade and economic cooperation with African countries in fields such as the peaceful use of nuclear energy, space exploration, pharmaceuticals, the digitalization of state and municipal administration, as well as the banking sector.
According to Vershinin, Russian economic entities are successfully carrying out several major projects, including the development of the Marine XII LNG project with a floating production and storage unit, the construction of an oil pipeline in the Republic of the Congo, as well as the creation of a Russian industrial zone and the El Dabaa nuclear power plant in Egypt.

Food and self-sufficiency at the focus

The Russian diplomat emphasized that one of Moscow's key priorities is supporting Africa in achieving food self-sufficiency. As he noted, particular emphasis is placed on creating sustainable reserves and local production, in accordance with the Kampala Declaration adopted by the African Union in January.
At the same time, Russia is transferring know-how and experience in the sectors of agriculture, fertilizer production, irrigation, and fisheries, strengthening the ability of African countries to reduce their dependence on imports.

First agreements and new perspectives

Vershinin recalled that, following the agreements reached at the first Russia–Africa ministerial meeting in 2024, an international conference on ensuring the food sovereignty of African states was held in November in Addis Ababa, where the foundations for specific projects were laid. He made special mention of the prospects for cooperation in the mineral resources sector, with an emphasis on creating added value for African economies.
This was the main subject of the first Russia–Africa Raw Minerals Dialogue, hosted in October by the St. Petersburg Mining University of Empress Catherine II, which, as he said, possesses the necessary expertise in this specific field. The image Moscow paints is clear: Africa is not merely a partner, but a central pillar of the new Russian geo-economic strategy.

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