Humanitarian transformation: Russia is preparing to open new Russian homes in Africa
Rossotrudnichestvo operates in 22 African countries, the agency told Izvestia. The organization is represented by eight official representative offices and 14 partner Russian houses. The opening of Russian homes in Mali and Algeria is currently under approval. Over the past three years, Africa has become one of the key areas of Rossotrudnichestvo's work. Experts note that the main purpose of Russian Houses is to help, promote and build equal partnership relations with the countries of the continent. About how humanitarian cooperation helps strengthen Russia's economic and political ties with Africa — in the Izvestia article.
Opening of Russian houses in Africa
Russia is expanding humanitarian cooperation with African countries. Rossotrudnichestvo is currently negotiating the opening of Russian homes in Mali and Algeria, and the relevant intergovernmental agreements are currently being negotiated, the agency told Izvestia.
Russia considers Mali as an important strategic partner, Vsevolod Sviridov, an expert at the HSE Center for African Studies, told Izvestia. According to him, the republic has always been friendly to the Russian Federation. At the end of June 2025, Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Mali's transitional President Assimi Goita. The Russian leader noted that it is important for the Russian Federation to develop cooperation in such areas as geological exploration, natural resource development, energy, logistics, and humanitarian cooperation.
President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the Transitional Period of the Republic of Mali Assimi Goita
As for Algeria, it is a key partner of the Russian Federation in North Africa and one of the main buyers of Russian weapons. The country also occupies an important place among Russia's trading partners.
In April 2025, it became known that the Russian House in Angola was being prepared for opening. Today, the United States has strong influence in this country, in contrast to Russia, which has consistently declined in the post—Soviet period. The opening of a Russian house there will help to "tone up" bilateral ties between Russia and Angola, Maya Nikolskaya, head of the Africa in the Focus of Russian Interests program at MGIMO, told Izvestia.
— In recent years, Angola has significantly intensified contacts with Western countries. Today, this country is of key importance in terms of transport corridors: it serves as the main transit state for minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is of significant interest to the United States and the European Union," the expert emphasized.
At the same time, Angola remembers its cooperation with the Soviet Union. "Angolans honor historical memory and also speak: "We owe it to the Soviet Union and your country, and we will always follow you, and we will turn to you for help," former Russian Ambassador to Angola Vladimir Tararov said earlier.
Today, Rossotrudnichestvo operates in 22 African countries, the agency told Izvestia. The organization is officially represented in eight countries of the continent: Egypt (Cairo and Alexandria), Zambia (Lusaka), Morocco (Rabat), Congo (Brazzaville), Tanzania (Dar es Salaam), Tunis (Tunis), Ethiopia (Addis Ababa).
— A representative works at the Russian Embassy in South Africa (Pretoria). Russian houses also have the authority to conduct work in certain neighboring countries," the department noted.
Rossotrudnichestvo added that there are also partner Russian houses, of which there are currently 14: in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, Mali, Namibia, Niger (two), Somalia, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Chad and Equatorial Guinea.
In every country where Russian Houses operate today, lectures, seminars, and other events on history, education, science, and literature are regularly held. The Russian language is also not ignored — special courses are organized for everyone. Russian Houses also participate in university-to-university exchanges, inviting hundreds of international students to study in Russia.
According to Maya Nikolskaya, humanitarian cooperation implemented through Russian homes differs significantly from the Western model of "soft power".
— The activities of Russian houses are depoliticized. Despite their affiliation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they are not engaged in propaganda or dissemination of political narratives. The main goal is to help, promote and build equal partnerships," she said.
It is no secret that humanitarian cooperation in the future will become the basis for expanding economic and political ties. First of all, Russian homes train personnel, Vsevolod Sviridov noted. For example, the Soviet Union trained more than 90,000 African students, and this foundation is still visible.
— We are developing relations with those countries where there are many graduates of Russian universities. For them, it's memories of their youth, a good time spent, and many speak Russian. They often initiate cooperation themselves," the expert said.
A striking example is Burema Kansai, a graduate of St. Petersburg State University, who currently holds the post of Minister of Education and Scientific Research in Mali. Last year, in particular, he came to Russia to conclude a cooperation agreement with his alma mater.
How are relations between Russia and African countries developing?
Moscow's relations with Africa developed intensively during the Soviet period, followed by a slight decline in the 1990s. The intensification of contacts has been worth talking about since 2001, while the events of 2014 and 2022 made an important contribution to the intensification, Sviridov believes. The main reason for the strengthening of Russia's relations with Africa is that the role of the southern continent in the global economy and politics is growing.
"Sales markets are emerging in Africa, and quite a lot depends on African countries in the United Nations, BRICS, WTO, and OPEC, and therefore the Russian Federation is objectively interested in good relations with these countries," the expert believes.
Speaking at the Russia—Africa: What's Next forum on April 23, Tatyana Dovgalenko, head of the Department for Partnership with Africa at the Russian Foreign Ministry, noted that there are no countries in the region that are unfriendly to Russia and Moscow is a natural ally of the continent. By the way, the department itself was organized in February 2025, once again demonstrating Russia's commitment to strengthen cooperation with the countries of the region.
Russia's economic ties with Africa are developing intensively. So, in 2024, the trade turnover between them amounted to almost $28 billion. First of all, Moscow sells agricultural products, primarily grain. An important export object is machine—building products: tractors, cars and trucks. Recently, the sale of high-tech products, including software, to African countries has become a promising area, Sviridov notes. Russia mainly imports fruits, nuts, cocoa and coffee.
Traditionally, the military is considered an important area of cooperation. Moscow has agreements in the field of military-technical cooperation with more than 30 states in the region. The Russian Federation supplies them with various military equipment — airplanes, helicopters, air defense and electronic warfare systems, small arms and much more. Russian private military companies operate in a number of countries.
Finally, Russia continues to be an important investor in the economies of individual African countries. For example, Rusal is engaged in bauxite mining in the Republic of Guinea, remaining one of the largest foreign investors in the country. Renova Group of Companies owns a stake in a South African company that produces manganese ore. The Lukoil Oil Company is engaged in the exploration and development of oil fields in the Gulf of Guinea.
However, Russia's cooperation with African countries goes beyond just increasing trade and investment. According to Maya Nikolskaya, Africa is the future of Russia. This is a key macroregion of the Global South, which demonstrates the greatest openness and understandable pragmatism in cooperation with our country. Africa has great potential and will become one of the drivers of the global economy in the coming decades, Maya Nikolskaya is confident.
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