Russian President Vladimir Putin has described Russia as a better partner for Africa than Western countries, accusing the West of exploiting the continent’s resources and using debt to hinder its development.
Putin made the remarks on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, where he sought to strengthen Russia’s political and economic ties with African countries.
He accused Western countries of maintaining a colonial mindset towards Africa and resisting a shift towards a multipolar world in which African nations would have greater influence.
Putin said some Western countries used debt and financial assistance on unfavourable terms to constrain African development, according to Reuters.
He contrasted this with Russia’s approach, arguing that Russian businesses supported local processing of raw materials rather than simply extracting resources for export.
“Our business does not engage in the predatory, neo-colonial exploitation of natural and human resources, but rather expands the processing of raw materials locally, thereby creating new jobs and generating tax revenue,” he said.
Putin also called for greater African representation in international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
He said Russia was ready to expand cooperation with African countries in agriculture, transport infrastructure and technology.
The Russian leader said Russia supplied 13 million tonnes of agricultural products to Africa in the first nine months of 2026 and that about 40,000 Africans were studying at Russian universities.
The summit is part of Moscow’s efforts to deepen its economic and security relationships across Africa as it seeks to counter Western influence amid continuing tensions over its war in Ukraine.
Russia has strengthened ties with several African governments, particularly in the Sahel, where Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have moved away from some traditional Western security partners.