Moscow rolled out the welcome mat again this week, hosting the third Russia-Africa Summit and inviting African heads of state to hear Vladimir Putin pitch Russia as the continent's most reliable partner in reshaping a world order long tilted toward the West. Putin welcomed leaders including Comoros President Azali Assoumani, and used the occasion to frame Russia's alliance with Africa as a stand against what he called colonial-era thinking. "Africa is increasingly asserting itself as one of the key players in the global economy and politics," he said, adding that resistance from powerful nations "accustomed to thinking in terms of their colonial past" was the main obstacle to a truly multipolar world.
The rhetoric lands with some audiences, and analysts say it is not entirely hollow. Tighisti Amare, director of the Africa Programme at Chatham House in London, tells African Business that the appeal reflects real, long-standing African interest in reforming global governance and winning greater influence over the international economic rules that shape development on the continent. "Shared positions on these issues do not in themselves guarantee meaningful commercial outcomes," she adds, drawing a clean line between political alignment and actual partnership.
The numbers back her caution. Russia-Africa trade reached an estimated 27 billion dollars in 2025, well short of the 40 billion dollar target Russia set back in 2019. Russian agricultural exports to Africa did grow by 35 percent in value in the first half of 2026, reaching 2.9 billion dollars, but Amare is careful to note that grain shipments do not automatically translate into broader investment or local production. The picture, she says, is uneven across the board.
For African governments weighing Moscow's courtship, the question is whether diplomatic solidarity can eventually grow into something more tangible. Russia's reach, it seems, is still running well ahead of its delivery.
Originally published by African Business.