Russia, Chad Discuss Pathways to Sustain Peace and Security across Africa -By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

The growing role of Africa in the structure of United Nations and similar multinational organisations, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, is expected to become a key driver of the development of the African continent. The Security Council has to increase Africa’s representation, creating the basis for serious dialogue for designing pathways to sustain peace and security across Africa. These was part of the indepth media conference held by Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, after his talks with Chadian Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul, who went on an official working visit to Moscow mid-July 2026.

Lavrov and Abdoulaye maintained that Russia’s cooperation with Africa in countering terrorism have to be a key topic on the agenda of the upcoming Russia-Africa summit. “As for the fight against terrorism, we are fighting uncompromisingly in different directions here. We are providing all possible assistance to our African friends. The Russian Defense Ministry’s African Corps is working in Niger, Mali, and some other countries in the region, with the help of which, as representatives of these countries told us during Lavrov’s African trip, first of all, thanks to whose help the armed forces of Mali and Niger succeeded in suppressing attempts at powerful terrorist attacks.” Lavrov asserted at the media conference.

He explained that the UN Security Council will not be reformed without addressing Africa’s needs. Further, Lavrov was convinced that the West wants to disrupt cooperation between Russia and African countries. “We’re very familiar with these neighbors: how they behave, how they want to prevent Russia’s cooperation with African nations by any means. By and large, they want to restore, to one degree or another, a situation in which former colonial powers are in charge there,” the Russian foreign minister said.

As an example, Lavrov cited what happened in 2022, when 200,000 tons of Russian wheat were seized in EU ports following the launch of the special military operation. “When Russian President Vladimir Putin and the companies that owned the grain announced that we were donating it to needy African states, the European Union, with its ‘reverent’ attitude toward human rights, blocked the release and shipment of this cargo for over a year,” Lavrov noted.

On January 24, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with transitional President of the Republic of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Deby, who was in Russia on an official visit, in fact the second trip. Putin pointed to the 60th anniversary of Russia-Chadian diplomatic relations, noted growing bilateral ties these past years, and reminded ongoing contacts between foreign ministries and parliaments.

Putin expressed great concern the fight against terrorist forays in Chad, and unreservedly pledged to achieve stability in the West African country. Chadian leader, Mahamat Idriss Deby, pleaded for more security support including the supply of military equipment and training of his troops within a framework of a bilateral agreement, while noting that Chad and Russia maintain long-time relations. Chad is a landlocked French-speaking country located in central Africa and gained political independence from France. Chad, like other Francophone Africa, blamed France for its under-development and economic crisis. N’Djamena now considers Moscow as its saviour, shuttling ‘to and fro’ Moscow. Due to its own weak governance and despite huge natural resources, Chad ranks at the bottom, in terms of development, in Africa.