The history of relations between Russia, South Africa and other African countries can be considered in the context of different periods of Russia’s history, from tsarist times to modernity. In every era, we can attest to Moscow’s significant support for the continent, in many cases to the detriment of Russian interests, Adu Yao Nicaise writes.
Periods of Russian-African relations
Relations between Russia and Africa can be divided into three periods:
1. The Russian Empire’s relations with Africa: Prior to the October Revolution (1917),
2. Relations between the USSR and the emerging African countries: From the October Revolution until the collapse of the USSR (1991),
3. Relations between the Russian Federation and African countries since 1991.
The first period: pre-1917
Usually, African scholars focus on Afro-Russian relations during the second of our three periods, Soviet-African relations between 1917 and 1991, for objective reasons. During this period, the Soviet Union provided significant assistance to African countries.
However, it is important to note that by the end of the eighteenth century, the Russian Empire and Ethiopia already had various ties. At the time, the Ethiopian Empire included the Horn of Africa as well as part of the Sudan.
Diplomatic relations were established in 1898; in 2023, Russia and Ethiopia celebrated the 125-year anniversary of the establishment of these diplomatic ties.
Moreover, during this period, the Russian Empire already had a significant diaspora community in Tunisia and Egypt.
The second period: 1917-1991
During this period, the relationship between the USSR and the countries of Africa (initially European colonies, with several exceptions) took shape and grew. These relations acquired a special character after the Second World War, when the Soviet victory opened up new prospects for colonised peoples struggling for independence.
The USSR provided significant assistance to the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America in their struggle for their natural and inalienable right to freedom.
The Soviet contribution to the liberation of the African people can be divided into the following spheres: political and diplomatic, economic and socio-humanitarian, and military support.
The USSR provided political and diplomatic support to various people’s liberation movements. In 1960 alone, 17 African countries gained independence; this year is known as the Year of Africa.
In addition, the USSR’s position in the UN, created after WWII, played a key role in the liberation of African peoples from colonialism. It was due to the initiative of the USSR that the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples was adopted in 1960.
As the author of the report notes in the monograph “The Phenomenon of Regionalism in the Context of Modern Challenges” (published in 2024), the European powers granted independence to their colonial subjects not because they wanted it, but precisely because of the unconditional position of the USSR, not only in the UN but also in its foreign diplomacy.
The USSR provided special military, social, economic and humanitarian support to various liberation movements in Angola, South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Mali, Algeria, etc. Social infrastructure (schools, hospitals, hydroelectric power stations, etc.) was built in African countries such as Mali, Guinea and Egypt.
Thousands of personnel from various newly emerging African countries were also trained in the USSR. According to Irina Abramova, Head of the Institute of African Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, “The USSR, and now Russian Federation, has prepared more than 700,000 specialists for the African continent. It is gratifying that today in every African country, one can meet such personnel in various administrations, who speak Russian well and remember their good old days spent in the USSR and TTThe Russian Federation.”
It is no coincidence that President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that the collapse of the USSR was a tragedy. In addition to that, we can say without exaggeration that this was a tragedy not only for the Soviet peoples, but also for the peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America. This is evidenced by economic lag, numerous wars, pandemics, epidemics, etc. Unfortunately, this happened more than 60 years after the African countries gained independence. Today, many scholars and specialists are denouncing the new form of foreign suzerainty which took root after the collapse of colonial rule: neo-colonialism.
The third period: Since 1991
The collapse of the USSR and the economic downturn associated with it could not but affect the foreign policy of the Russian Federation in general and its relations with African countries in particular. The closure of Russian embassies in various African countries is evidence of that period. The decline in relations was noticeable precisely under Presidents Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin.
However, the rise to power of President Vladimir Putin, which was followed by economic recovery and growth, as well as Russia’s return to the world political arena as a great power, has contributed to a new impetus in relations between the Russian Federation and the countries of Africa. Today, lost diplomatic relations with many African countries have been restored. Russia now interacts with African countries at various venues (UN, BRICS, AU, etc.).
In the military-humanitarian sphere, Russia has provided invaluable assistance to countries such as the Central African Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso and others in order to ensure security in these states. As the author of this report writes in his article “A New Formula for Ensuring Security in West Africa”, the UN multinational force did less in Mali and the Sahel as a whole in ten years than the Russian Federation did in a few months.
In the humanitarian sphere, Russia continues to train personnel for a number of African countries. Today, about 34,000 African students attend various Russian universities, where every year, Moscow allocates thousands of scholarships for the education of African students. For instance, in the 2024-2025 academic year, more than 4,816 scholarships were provided to African students by the Russian government.
Moreover, the Russian Federation interacts with many African countries in the fight against various infectious diseases, such as Covid-19 and Ebola, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Guinea.
Despite the tension in the food sector caused by Western countries in the context of the Special Military Operation, Russia continues to provide all kinds of assistance to African countries. This is evidenced by the grain deal which ensures the uninterrupted provision of food security in African countries.
At the behest of President Vladimir Putin, 200 tons of grain were transferred free of charge to a number of African countries in 2024: Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, Somalia and the Central African Republic. Putin also had the debts of several African countries to Russia totalling 20 billion USD cancelled (written off).
Conclusion
The Russian Empire, the USSR, as well as the Russian Federation, have always maintained relations with the peoples of Africa. These relations, however, may have been invisible compared to those of Western countries, since Russia never sought to colonise Africa. This factor has helped define the history of Russia’s relationship with African countries.
In addition, Russia yesterday and today seeks to provide assistance to African countries, sometimes even to its own detriment, as Professor Ponomarenko noted. Russia today also actively interacts with African countries at various levels, such as the UN, AU, BRICS+, Russia-Africa summits, etc.
