Russia's Africa summit highlights economic goals
Russia is hosting its third Africa summit, focusing on economic cooperation.
By Samir Patterson ·
Russia is hosting its third Africa summit, with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in attendance, aiming to build support outside the West. The summit, held at roughly three-year intervals since 2019, focuses on economic cooperation, with additional sessions on politics, security, science and culture. Yet Russia is actively engaged with only a handful of African states, mostly in the north of the continent, and trade figures reflect that. Egypt is the clearest example. According to Russia's Federal Customs Service, bilateral trade reached $10.5 billion in 2025, more than double the 2021 level. Russian grain is the main driver, followed by metal products, while Egypt mainly sells fruit and vegetables. Russia is also building a large nuclear power plant at El-Dabaa on the Mediterranean coast, funded by a $25 billion Russian loan covering about 85% of costs. Overall, Russian customs data put total trade with all 54 African countries at about $27 billion in 2025, with Egypt accounting for around 39%. Africa made up just 3.9% of Russia's foreign trade.
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Russia's Africa summit highlights economic goals
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Russia is hosting its third Africa summit, focusing on economic cooperation.
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Russia is hosting its third Africa summit, with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in attendance, aiming to build support outside the West. The summit, held at roughly three-year intervals since 2019, focuses on economic cooperation, with additional sessions on politics, security, science and culture. Yet Russia is actively engaged with only a handful of African states, mostly in the north of the continent, and trade figures reflect that. Egypt is the clearest example. According to Russia's Federal Customs Service, bilateral trade reached $10.5 billion in 2025, more than double the 2021 level. Russian grain is the main driver, followed by metal products, while Egypt mainly sells fruit and vegetables. Russia is also building a large nuclear power plant at El-Dabaa on the Mediterranean coast, funded by a $25 billion Russian loan covering about 85% of costs. Overall, Russian customs data put total trade with all 54 African countries at about $27 billion in 2025, with Egypt accounting for around 39%. Africa made up just 3.9% of Russia's foreign trade.
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