The African Union and Russia signed an action plan on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in Moscow for the period 2027-2029, covering 19 areas of cooperation, on the first day of the third Russia-Africa summit.
The document was initialed by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov. It is intended to guide political dialogue, institutional coordination, and exchanges on regional and international issues, particularly within the United Nations.
Peace and security occupy a central place within this framework. The planned activities focus on combating terrorism and transnational crime, sharing expertise, and strengthening institutional capacities, in support of the African Union’s goal to silence the guns on the continent by 2030.
The plan also extends cooperation to artificial intelligence, digital transformation, cybersecurity, and space technologies. It specifically includes joint work on early warning systems using artificial intelligence to anticipate risks of conflict, health emergencies, and natural disasters.
The other areas concern energy, transport infrastructure, agriculture, water, climate change adaptation, health, education, trade, investment, and financial cooperation. Capacity building, university partnerships, and knowledge sharing are also among the priorities.
Culture, sport, youth, child protection, and heritage preservation complete this roadmap. The African Union, however, specifies that the text constitutes a framework for cooperation and does not create any rights or obligations under international law.
The summit brings together delegations from 48 African countries in Moscow, including 22 led by heads of state, according to the organizers. The discussions focus on trade, security, technology, agriculture, and infrastructure, as Russia seeks to strengthen its economic and diplomatic presence on the continent.
The first edition of the summit was held in Sochi in 2019 and the second in Saint Petersburg in 2023. The participants had then agreed to hold this event every three years, and the third edition is scheduled to conclude on Thursday, October 29, in Moscow.
