April 1–2, 2026 Report on the conference " Problems of Africa: African Solutions and the Role of External Assistance"
THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND HIGHER EDUCATION
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
INSTITUTE FOR AFRICAN STUDIES
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30/1 ул. Спиридоновка, Москва, 123001 |
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30/1 Spiridonovka str., Moscow, 123001 |
CENTRE OF THE RUSSIAN-AFRICAN RELATIONS AND AFRICAN STATES' FOREIGN POLICY
PROBLEMS OF AFRICA: AFRICAN SOLUTIONS AND THE ROLE OF EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE
Scientific Conference
April 1-2, 2026
Report
On April 1–2, 2026, the Centre of the Russian-African Relations and African States' Foreign Policy held an international academic conference titled "Problems of Africa: African Solutions and the Role of External Assistance."
The conference brought together scholars, faculty members, doctoral candidates, and postgraduate students from the following institutions: the Institute for African Studies of the RAS, the Institute of World History of the RAS, the Institute of China and Asian Studies of the RAS, the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the RAS, the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the RAS, the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, Volgograd State University, Kazan Federal University, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, the Moscow State Linguistic University, Kutafin Moscow State Law University, and Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod. A representative of the Educational Center of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa of the Russian Orthodox Church also took part. Foreign participants represented the Institute of Economics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the University of South Africa, and also included doctoral and postgraduate students enrolled at Russian universities.
On April 1, the in-person panel "Problems of Africa and African Solutions" focused on the nature of the challenges facing the continent, the capacity of African states to address them, the search for competitive advantages, and ways to strengthen intra-African cooperation. Issues of security, water stress, food shortages, and engagement with transnational corporations were examined in detail, along with an assessment of the tools and opportunities available to African states for resolving these challenges.
The online panel "The Role of External Assistance in Addressing African Problems" held on April 2, discussed the approaches of various international actors in building relations with African states, as well as their contributions to overcoming the continent's challenges. It was noted that relations with Western countries often tend to exacerbate African problems rather than alleviate them. Special attention was given to analyzing the dynamics of mutually beneficial Russian-African cooperation, in light of the upcoming third Russia–Africa Summit.
