Russian Foreign Minister Says Sputnik’s New African Offices to Expand Access to Objective Information

Addis Ababa, October 21, 2026 (FMC) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said Sputnik’s newly opened editorial centers in Tanzania and South Africa will expand African audiences’ access to objective, verified information, free from distortion and ideological filters.

“The opening of regional offices in Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg will help provide African audiences with greater access to objective, verified information — free from distortion or ideological filters,” Lavrov said in a video address marking the opening of Sputnik’s center in Tanzania.

He thanked the authorities of Tanzania and South Africa for supporting the establishment of the offices, describing their support as a key condition for the effective and safe work of journalists.

Lavrov also criticized what he described as the suppression of dissenting voices in the global information space by the “collective West,” citing censorship and the application of “double standards.”

“Today, as the ‘collective West’ persistently suppresses any dissenting voices within the global information space — resorting to methods such as censorship and the application of ‘double standards’ — the value of such work can hardly be overstated,” he said.

Sputnik simultaneously opened multifunctional editorial centers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Johannesburg, South Africa, ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit scheduled for October 28–29 in Moscow. Lavrov said the timing underscored the significance of the new offices in strengthening the strategic partnership between Russia and African countries.

South African Vice President Paul Mashatile welcomed the opening of Sputnik’s Johannesburg office, describing it as an important development for South Africa’s media landscape and the African continent.

He said the initiative reflected growing cooperation between South Africa and Russia and contributed to the diversity of voices and perspectives essential to public discourse. Mashatile also welcomed Sputnik’s commitment to amplifying African voices and telling African stories, expressing hope that the Johannesburg office would serve as a platform for constructive engagement, quality journalism, and stronger ties between South Africa, Russia, and the wider continent.

Said Shaib Moussa, Deputy Permanent Secretary at Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the new editorial center would provide coverage of Tanzania, the region, Africa, and the world across a wide range of subjects, including geopolitics and development.

“We believe that the Sputnik agency will provide us with news of the country, the region, the continent, and the entire world in all spheres without exception, including the sphere of geopolitics and development,” Moussa said, welcoming Sputnik to Tanzania.

Russia’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Andrey Avetisyan, said the new office would strengthen communication between the two countries by bringing Russian perspectives to Tanzanian audiences and Tanzanian perspectives to Russia.

He stressed the importance of truth and factual reporting in a media environment where information reaches audiences everywhere but does not always convey the truth, describing Sputnik as a media outlet known for bringing truthful information.

Russia’s Ambassador to South Africa, Roman Ambarov, highlighted the growing importance of professional journalism, diverse sources, and multiple perspectives at a time when information is increasingly politicized and facts can be difficult to distinguish from disinformation.

He noted that the Rossiya Segodnya media group, which includes Sputnik, had established a significant presence across Africa and gained recognition in the international professional community through its membership in the African Union of Broadcasting and receipt of several journalism awards.

Dmitry Kiselev, Director General of the Rossiya Segodnya media group, said the opportunity to work directly within African countries demonstrated trust between nations, peoples, journalists, and audiences. He added that such trust strengthened information sovereignty for both Africa and Russia.

Margarita Simonyan, Editor-in-Chief of Rossiya Segodnya, said the new editorial centers would contribute to the mutual prosperity of Russia and Africa by deepening longstanding ties and strengthening mutual respect and shared interests.

She said Sputnik would continue its work of communicating African realities to Russian audiences and Russian perspectives to African audiences.

Kelvin Kanje, Acting Director of the Department of Information Services at Tanzania’s Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, congratulated Sputnik on the opening, saying the initiative strengthened friendship between the two countries, expanded opportunities for professional cooperation, and enabled Tanzania’s voice to reach wider international audiences.

The new offices are fully fledged editorial centers staffed by dozens of local journalists. They will produce content in English and Swahili, including podcasts broadcast by radio stations across Africa with a combined audience of more than 100 million listeners.

Launched in 2022, Sputnik Africa operates in five languages, including Swahili, Amharic, and Afaan Oromo, and has become one of the prominent foreign media services focused on pan-African affairs.

Sputnik broadcasts in more than 30 languages and operates 26 multifunctional centers worldwide.