During a Russian-African ministerial conference held yesterday, Saturday, and today in Sochi (southwest of the country), Moscow sought to impose itself as an indispensable partner for African countries, promising to provide them with “full support” in the “multipolar world” promoted by the Kremlin in confrontation with the West.

After Moscow was a major player in Africa during the Soviet era, it has been working for years to re-strengthen its influence in the countries of this continent that did not join the Western sanctions imposed on Russia after its war on Ukraine in February 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed today - in a speech addressed to senior officials from about 50 African countries in Sochi - that "our country will continue to provide full support to our African friends in various fields."

In the speech - which was read by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov - he said that this support could be in the field of "sustainable development, combating terrorism and extremism, epidemic diseases, solving food problems or the consequences of natural disasters."

The President expressed his hope to strengthen "Russian-African relations as a whole" at the conclusion of this conference, which was held as a continuation of two summits between Moscow and the continent hosted by Russia in 2019 and 2023.

"Not a colonial power"

Lavrov stressed that Russia and African countries are seeing "progress on all axes" of cooperation between them "despite the artificial obstacles" raised by "the entire West," the expression Moscow uses to refer to the United States and its allies.

The Sochi conference comes after a BRICS summit hosted by Kazan (southwestern Russia) last month, during which Putin sought to demonstrate the failure of the West's policy of isolation and sanctions against him.

Russia's strategy to extend its media influence in Africa - particularly through social networks - is based on denouncing "neo-colonialism" and calling for a "more just world order," a discourse that resonates with some African officials.

Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop stressed yesterday on the sidelines of the conference that "Russia is not a colonial power and has never been a colonial power. On the contrary, it has been with the African peoples and other peoples in the world to help them get out of the colonial system."

In contrast, many Western officials accuse Moscow of waging an "imperialist" war in the former Soviet republic of Ukraine.

Minerals, Security and Digital Domain

Russian mercenary groups such as the Wagner Group or its successor, the Africa Corps, are active in Africa in support of local governments, while “advisors” according to Moscow work to assist local officials.

This is particularly true in the Central African Republic and the Sahel countries, where growing Russian influence has been accompanied by a decline in French influence.

In 2023, Russia supplied Africans with more than $5 billion worth of weapons, according to state-run Rosoboronexport.

But officials gathered in Sochi believe that support must go beyond security issues.

"The digital space must be developed in Central Africa," with Russian support, Marie-Thérèse Chantal Ngakono, Commissioner for Infrastructure at the Economic Community of Central African States, was quoted by AFP as saying.

Large Russian groups are showing particular interest in exploiting raw materials in Africa, particularly diamonds in Angola and Zimbabwe, oil in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and bauxite in Guinea.

“We have over 75 minerals in Africa, and they are not being properly exploited,” said Yang Piero Omatsayi, founder of Get Age Nation Builders, an organization that works to promote the continent’s progress.

The Nigerian politician continued that "thanks to the partnership with Russia," one of the world's largest exporters of gas, oil and diamonds, "we will be able to put these resources to good use."

But Bakary Sambe, director of the Timbuktu Institute in Senegal’s capital, said this week that the long-term partnership with Russia raises questions, explaining, “Will Russia give Africa the same attention if the war in Ukraine ends?” And does the partnership with Africa represent a “real strategic priority” or a temporary concern linked to its conflict with the West?