Russia-Africa Summit Kicks Off in Moscow With 33 Agreements and Morocco in Attendance

Morocco is represented at the third Russia-Africa Summit, which opened in Moscow on Wednesday, with 48 African nations taking part and 33 agreements scheduled for signing, alongside a new three-year cooperation plan.

Head of government Fatima Zahra Mansouri is attending on behalf of King Mohammed VI, accompanied by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Ambassador Lotfi Bouchaara. The two-day gathering, running from 28 to 29 October, comes three years after the previous summit in St Petersburg, as Moscow seeks to deepen commercial ties that have grown since 2019 but still fall short of the targets set by President Vladimir Putin.

Participation and Leadership

Twenty-two African leaders are attending this year, up from 17 in 2023, according to Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yury Ushakov, who said on Monday that delegations from 48 of Africa’s 54 countries had confirmed their participation. That compares with 17 heads of state at the 2023 summit and 43 at the inaugural gathering in Sochi in 2019.

Putin and Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, the current chair of the African Union, are co-chairing the summit. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and leaders from several Sahel countries are among those expected to hold bilateral meetings.

Trade and Economic Targets

Russia-Africa trade exceeded $27 billion in 2025, Ushakov said, compared with approximately $16.8 billion in 2019. However, Putin’s original target of $40 billion, announced at the first summit seven years ago, remains unmet.

The gap is significant when measured against Africa’s other major commercial partners. China-Africa trade reached roughly $348 billion in 2025, while European Union trade with the continent was valued at about $395 billion, according to figures cited by Chatham House.

Russian agricultural exports to Africa increased 35% in value during the first half of 2026 to $2.9 billion, with wheat shipments hitting record levels. Moscow is now seeking additional business in transport, agricultural machinery, nuclear energy and manufacturing.

Agreements and Action Plan

The Kremlin says 33 intergovernmental, departmental and commercial documents are scheduled for signing during the summit. Participants are also expected to adopt a cooperation plan covering 2027 to 2029, alongside a political declaration and a separate agreement on civilian applications of artificial intelligence.

The accompanying economic forum includes more than 40 sessions addressing trade, food security, energy, mining, technology and transport.

Morocco’s Delegation and Bilateral Talks

Mansouri’s visit follows an October 23 telephone conversation between Bourita and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two discussed summit preparations, bilateral relations, and coordination on regional and international issues, including at the United Nations. Morocco’s delegation is among those attending at head-of-government level.

Security and the Ukraine War

Russia has expanded its military presence in Africa, particularly in the Sahel, where Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have developed closer security relations with Moscow. Putin is scheduled to meet Mali’s military leader Assimi Goïta, whose government has relied on Russian personnel in its campaign against armed insurgents.