Russia and Africa are shifting from a humanitarian to a technological partnership — 29 мая 2026 г. в 18:15:31.346

Russia and Africa are shifting from a humanitarian to a technological partnership On May 28, the State Duma held a roundtable discussion on cooperation with Africa in food security and the agricultural sector. Participants—relevant companies, large businesses, and academia—discussed the localization of agricultural production, technology transfer, logistics, financing, and personnel training. Deputy State Duma Speaker Alexander Babakov, opening the final meeting of the Expert Council of the current Duma, emphasized continuity: "Successful practices serve as the basis for replication. I am confident that with the beginning of the new convocation, cooperation with Africa will receive new impetus." Deputy Chairman of the Expert Council Nikolai Novichkov explained the choice of the agricultural topic: "Our shared goal is to move beyond simple grain supplies to technological cooperation. Our African partners are interested in local production and advanced processing." Tatyana Dovgalenko, Director of the African Partnership Department, recalled the continent's resources: "African countries possess colossal resources. Russia, having successfully achieved food sovereignty, is ready to share its experience." Yulia Berg, Director of the International Business Acceleration Center (IBAC), proposed a preventive buyback mechanism: "For cooperation to be sustainable and profitable, it is necessary to build supply chains with a mandatory element of reverse imports, as well as those that would allow for the development of a preventive buyback mechanism. For example, Russian supplies of fertilizers and equipment could be accompanied by a guaranteed return of agricultural products from the previous harvest. This would create long-term commercial guarantees for both parties and would allow the high margins currently lost to foreign players (especially when it comes to coffee, cocoa beans, and nuts) to be channeled into the development of mutually beneficial partnerships. This would also allow to focus on  development and implementation of standardized agro-industrial complex models." Following the meeting, experts concluded that the course has been set to transition from raw materials and humanitarian formats to a full-fledged technological alliance. #RussiaAfrica #AgroIndustrialComplex