Russia-Africa Summit 2026: Putin Promises, Africa Waits…

Nineteen African heads of state travelled to Moscow on October 28 and 29, 2026, for the third Russia-Africa Summit, as African countries seek to diversify partnerships without committing to exclusive alliances. Vladimir Putin promised $50 billion in assistance, after pledging $40 billion at the 2019 Sochi summit. The author questions the substance of these commitments and argues that Moscow wants to draw Africa into a “global majority” separate from the West, while African countries seek to write their own history.