\n\t\t\tWith heightening geopolitical situation, a new wave is entirely blowing from Russia to Africa, fortifying the emerging multipolar world with emphasis on Africa and the Global South. Russia’s policy approach toward Africa is increasingly changing, incorporating most the areas and spheres as ready instruments for consolidating the scale of current bilateral relations. For the first time in the post-Soviet history, a press tour for journalists of African news agencies “TASS – Africa: the Path of Friendship” took place from November 16 to 24 in Moscow, Kazan and St. Petersburg. <\/p>\n
The
\nTASS news agency intends to establish news bureaus in all African countries,
\nreplicating its presence during the Soviet era, Director General Andrey
\nKondrashov said. His statement was based on the fact that Africa is becoming
\n“one of the most important areas of focus.” The biggest apparent
\nchallenge is how to create an extensive media outreach and maintain a
\nsignificant information footprint, a replica which was witnessed during Soviet
\ntimes.<\/p>\n
Chairman
\nof the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, meeting with African ambassadors,
\nindicated clearly that Russia is competing with foreign players in Africa. But,
\nas Russia continues invariably working on its long-term cooperation, it has
\n“to move away from intentions to concrete actions.” Russia has a
\ndistinctive feature in comparison with other countries: it has always spread to
\nthe people of the African continent good things, model-solutions for
\ndevelopment problems.<\/p>\n
During
\na meeting with African ambassadors in the State Duma, the issue of greater
\nrepresentation of Russian media in Africa was raised, which ambassadors
\nresponded with applause. “It is necessary to take certain steps together
\nfor the Russian media to work on the African continent,” Volodin noted
\nbefore arguably comparing that “the Russian media provide broadcasting in
\nvarious languages, they work in many countries, although it is certainly
\nimpossible to compare this presence with presence of the media of the United
\nStates, United Kingdom and Germany.”<\/p>\n
Notwithstanding
\nthe geopolitical obstacles, Russia has sound instruments for media cooperation.
\nYet, officials desperately complain over anti-Russian media campaign
\nperpetuated by the western media in Africa. The continent’s biggest challenge
\namong political elite and entrepreneurs is to access opportunities in the
\nRussian Federation for cooperation, yet these vital element has been missing.
\nThere is dearth of adequate information on economic and tourism developments
\nbetween Russia and Africa.<\/p>\n
For
\ncreating a sustainable partnership\u2014the first in Africa\u2014would require sprawling
\neducational campuses, frequent exchange of specialists and students, promoting
\nvisa-free tourism, as well as media practitioners’ engagement with ordinary
\nRussians, visiting interesting tourism spots across the Russian Federation.<\/p>\n
And
\nwhile China, for instance, has granted 53 African nations duty-free access to
\nits market, Russia would simply not just as it does consider it necessary to
\npermit African reporters inside the country. Noticeably, Africans are showing
\nhigh interest in leveraging their relationships with Russia. On the other side,
\nRussian rules and regulations are restricting Africans, and as result, rather
\ncontinue balancing their strategic relationship\u2014with varying degrees of success
\nwith the United States and Europe.<\/p>\n
Experts
\nhave consistently argue that lack of two-way media representation exacerbates
\nmisunderstanding between Russia and Africa. As a result, African leaders and
\ncorporate business executives often rely on Western media for information about
\nRussia, leading to a one-sided view that often reflects Western biases. As Africa’s middle class estimated at 280
\nmillion (twice Russia’s population) continues to grow, representing a vibrant
\ninformation market, the need for a balanced and comprehensive media coverage
\nfrom both sides becomes increasingly crucial. The low representation does not
\nreflect the growing diplomatic and economic ties between Russia and Africa.
\nAnalysis further shows both realism and symbolism, and Africa repetitive
\nattempts to turn symbolism into real substance at this stage of shifting
\ndevelopments.<\/p>\n
Artem
\nKozhin, is now Russia’s ambassador to Seychelles. During the Russia-Africa
\nSummit, Artem Kozhin, who represented the Foreign Ministry’s Information and
\nPress Department, at the panel discussion on media, explained in an indepth
\nreport that some 300 news bureaus from 60 countries were operating in Russia,
\nincluding 800 foreign correspondents and 400 technical personnel in the Russian
\nFederation. According to his interpretation, this extremely low representation
\nof African media hardly meets the level of current dynamically developing
\nrelations between Russia and Africa. “We invite all interested parties to
\nopen news bureaus and expand media cooperation with Russia,” Kozhin said
\nat the gathering, inviting Africa media to Moscow.<\/p>\n
Professor
\nAlexey Vasiliev, the first Special Representative of Russian President for
\nRelations with Africa (2006-2011) and currently the Head of the Center for
\nAfrican and Arab Studies at the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, told
\nthe audience in Sochi: “Africa is largely unaware of Russia, since African
\nmedia mainly consumes information the Western media sources and then replicates
\nthem. And all the fake news, the Rusophobia and anti-Russian propaganda, spread
\nby the western media, are repeated in the African media.”<\/p>\n
“Measures
\nare needed to enable us to better understand each other,” suggested
\nProfessor Vasiliev, who regularly advises the Presidential Administration, the
\nGovernment of the Russian Federation, both chambers of the Federal Assembly,
\nand the Russian Foreign Ministry.<\/p>\n
Critiques
\nhave since emerged regarding the level of discrimination in accrediting foreign
\nmedia. In a parallel plane, policy researchers say Africa’s media absence in
\nthe Russian Federation is alarming. In short, Africa Studies Institute’s
\nDirector, Professor Irina Abramova has reiterated, at several conferences
\nincluding at State Duma roundtable discussion, and now at TACC conference with
\nthe media group from 10 Francophone African countries, the extremely low of
\nAfrican media presence in the Russian Federation.<\/p>\n
She
\nemphasized that Russia’s image is formed by African audiences, influenced by
\nthe media, often diverges significantly from reality. The director noted that
\nreceiving first-hand information is the foundation for mutual understanding and
\ncooperation. “Information, today, has become a powerful productive force,
\ncapable of shaping objective reality. Under the current conditions, the role of
\njournalists is extremely important, because the nature of Russian-African
\nrelations, largely depends on how given facts are presented,” Professor
\nAbramova stated, while urging African media practitioners to actively establish
\ntheir presence in the Russian Federation. <\/p>\n
Professor
\nAbarmova regrettably underlined that not a single African news agency has
\npermanent accreditation in the country. The speakers discussed expanding
\ncooperation in the information sphere, pointed to the importance of expanding
\nRussian media offices on the African continent.<\/p>\n
For
\ndecades, cooperation with Africa has been in line with Moscow’s policy aimed at
\nstrengthening media ties. And now, by inviting these African media
\npractitioners, more or less, marked one step toward teaming up, at starting
\nlevel, to fight anti-Russian propaganda, and the spread of fake information. In
\naddition, Professor Abramova underscored the critical fact that the Africa
\nDepartment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has to work up to an appreciable
\nexpectations, discard uncollaborative approach to issues relating to Africa. <\/p>\n
For
\nAfrica, officials of the Department for Partnership with Africa at the Russian
\nForeign Ministry should rather show enthusiasm in facilitating the rules and
\nregulations, among others, in addressing promptly the necessary obstacles
\nhindering bilateral media cooperation. Professor Abramova unreservedly
\nsuggested, for example, the significance of establishing Russia-Africa Press
\nExchange Programme to encourage and promote exchanges and regular visits
\nbetween Russian and African media.<\/p>\n
Tatyana
\nDovgalenko, Director of the Department for Partnership with Africa at the
\nRussian Foreign Ministry, said that Moscow counts on the active participation
\nof its partners from Africa. In this context, she reiterated the Russia-Africa
\nsummits held in October 2019 and July 2023, have described as a true
\nbreakthrough by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “These events served as
\na powerful starting-point for what is commonly referred to as the revival of
\nRussia-Africa relations. And today, Russian-African ties are steadily
\ngrowing,” Dovgalenko said at the conference dedicated to the launch of the
\npress tour. “It is important that our African friends view Russia as a
\nreliable friend and a partner, capable of acting to protect its own sovereignty
\nand supporting others to do the same.”<\/p>\n
“These
\nevents served as a powerful starting-point for what is commonly referred to as
\nthe revival of Russia-Africa relations. And today, Russian-African ties are
\nsteadily growing,” Dovgalenko said at the conference dedicated to the
\nlaunch of the press tour. “It is important that our African friends view
\nRussia as a reliable friend and a partner, capable of acting to protect its own
\nsovereignty and supporting others to do the same.”<\/p>\n
The
\nmedia initiative was as a follow up to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s
\ndiscussions about rolling out a comprehensive roadmap for a more integrated
\ncooperation and to find ways of improving public diplomacy in Africa. <\/p>\n
On
\nMay 16, Sergey Lavrov chaired the Foreign Ministry Collegium meeting on the
\ntheme titled “Concept of the Russian Federation on Cooperation with
\nAfrican Media” which stresses the need to cooperate with African media as
\nRussia looks forward to strengthening relations and intends to share its
\nstrategic interests with Africa. According to the MFA report: “the Russian
\nFederation is implementing programmes of cooperation with various African
\ncountries which include the media, education, culture, art, and sport.”<\/p>\n
In
\norder to overcome these longstanding challenges mentioned above in the article,
\nboth Russia and Africa have to take concrete steps toward building a more
\ncollaborative media landscape. This includes creating opportunities for African
\njournalists in Russia and increasing the presence of Russian media in Africa.
\nIn mid-November 2025, media representatives invited from 10 Francophone African
\ncountries, visited key landmarks, museums, and universities, and held meetings
\nwith representatives of academic institutions and media.<\/p>\n
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