Results of the 4th MGIMO Youth Forum: “Russia-Africa. What’s Next?” -By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

The 4th Youth Forum “Russia-Africa. What’s next?” was held from April 22 to 25, organized by Moscow State University of International Affairs (MGIMO) and dedicated to the development of partnerships between the youth of Russia and African countries. The event brought together representatives of the African diasporas, students, experts, young leaders, and activists interested in the African region and the development of Russian-African relations. The event began with an opening ceremony, where prominent diplomats, famous politicians, leading experts, and representatives of the scientific community gathered to discuss strategies for interaction between Russia and African countries.

After the official part, the participants visited the African art exhibition titled: “Africa in the Past and Present…”, organized by MFUA-MASI. The exhibition presented the rich cultural heritage of the continent, arousing considerable interest among the Forum guests. In the plenary session, participants were addressed by the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN and the UN Security Council V.A. Nebenzya. The session was attended by Vice-Rector for Youth Policy, Social Work and International Relations, S.I. Surovtsev; Director of the Department of Partnership with Africa at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs T.E. Dovgalenko; Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, V.V. Sushchik; State Duma Deputy and Deputy Chairman of the Russia-Africa Expert Council, N.V. Novichkov; State Duma Deputy, member of the International Affairs Committee, D.V. Kuznetsov; State Duma Deputy and member of the Competition Protection Committee I.A. Filatova; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Kenya, V.I. Tkachenko; Head of Department of the Department of Multilateral Humanitarian Cooperation and Cultural Relations of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, K.O. Kolpakov; General Director of StudEx Group Tumelo Ramaphosa; and Rector of the Moscow Finance and Law University (MFLA), A.G. Zabelin.

During the plenary session, experts discussed issues related to the current agenda, the role of the parties in the global system of world economic, political and humanitarian relations, and identified key areas of interaction for the next few years. The forum continued with parallel thematic sessions. Deputy Vice-Rector for Youth Policy, Social Work and International Relations V.V. Sutyrin, First Secretary for Political Affairs of the Embassy of the Republic of Guinea in the Russian Federation Bakary Blond Berete and representatives of Russian universities took part in the expert discussion “Education for Africa: Investments in Cooperation”. The experts discussed the mechanisms of educational cooperation between Russia and African countries. The Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN and the UN Security Council V.A. Nebenzya addressed the participants of the discussion “Expansion of the UN Security Council: African Perspective” with a video message, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Kenya V.I. Tkachenko delivered a welcoming speech.

During the discussion, Deputy Director of the Department of International Organizations of the Russian Foreign Ministry V.E. Sergeev, Professor of the Department of Diplomacy V.F. Zaemsky and Vice President of the World Federation of the United Nations Association discussed the importance of fair representation of Africa in international institutions. At the same time, a panel discussion “International Information Security: Prospects for Cooperation between Russia and African Countries” was held, which was attended by Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the “African Initiative” M.V. Reva, Head of the RT African Content Production Service S.I. Shchegolev, Head of the Department for Work with East Asian and African Countries of the TV BRICS International Cooperation Department E.Yu. Tolstoguzova, Deputy Editor of the International Politics Department of “Komsomolskaya Pravda” E.O. Chesnokov, Head of the Department for Relations with Africa and the Middle East of the TASS International Relations Department L.V. Sakhno, as well as other distinguished guests of the Forum. As part of the discussion, the experts discussed the main prospects for cooperation between Russia and Africa in the field of information security.

The second day of the Forum “Russia — Africa: What’s Next?” ended with two parallel sessions. The open discussion “Continuity of Generations: Life of African Students in the USSR and Russia” was attended by the Chairman of the Union of African Diasporas in Russia, Kinfu Zenebe Tafesse, and the Head of the Cameroonian Diaspora Louis Gouend.

The participants discussed the transformation of the experience of African students who studied in the Soviet Union and compared this experience with the realities of life of modern African students in Russia. A significant part of the session was devoted to issues of adaptation, cultural exchange and overcoming the difficulties faced by students from Africa.

A session “Sustainable Development in Africa: Education, Energy and Food Security” was also held. As part of a separate event dedicated to sustainable development, Louis Gouend again addressed the audience, outlining the key areas of effective cooperation between Russia and African countries. Opportunities for joint projects in business, innovation and education were considered. Special emphasis was placed on the importance of strengthening ties at the youth level, forming new approaches to the implementation of social and economic initiatives aimed at a sustainable future for both regions. At the same time, the game “Counterfake” was held on the small stage: counteracting fakes on the African continent together with the African Initiative news agency. The game was hosted by Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the African Initiative news agency Maxim Reva and Head of Video Production Anna Sturova. During the game, the participants learned new ways to counter fakes.

The forum demonstrated a high level of professional dialogue between representatives of Russia and African states, confirming the importance of the forum as an important platform for the development of bilateral cooperation. Following the forum, Louis Gouend noted: “It is very pleasant to see young Russians who are openly interested in Africa and are holding such a large-scale event for the fourth time. The presence of a large number of young Africans at the forum brings genuine joy to all representatives of the African diaspora in Russia and gives us confidence in the sustainable development of Russian-African relations. These young people are the true elite of the new future, who will shape the agenda of bilateral cooperation. We see their energy, interest and active position – this instills optimism and confidence that relations between Russia and Africa will only grow stronger.”

The four-day forum became a unique platform for exchanging experiences, inspiring meetings and constructive discussions. The organizers and participants expressed confidence that this dialogue between the youth of Russia and Africa will continue in the future, contributing to the implementation of new projects, strengthening trust and building a sustainable future for both sides. The partners of the Russia-Africa: What’s Next? Forum were the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rossotrudnichestvo, the Roscongress Foundation, as well as CMR Bank, Priority 2030 and the MGIMO Endowment. The general information partner was TASS, media coverage was also provided by Russia Today and the African Initiative news agency.