Addis Ababa, July 7, 2026 (FMC) — The African Union (AU) and the Russian Federation have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their longstanding partnership, enhancing cooperation in peace and security, economic development, food security, health, infrastructure and global governance reforms.
The commitment was made during high-level consultations held today at the Headquarters of the African Union Commission (AUC) in Addis Ababa between AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov.
The consultations focused on reviewing the progress of AU-Russia cooperation and exploring ways to further strengthen their partnership, while also exchanging views on international and regional developments, including global geopolitical changes, multilateral cooperation, governance reforms and peace and security challenges.
The two sides reaffirmed that Africa-Russia relations are built on historical ties, mutual respect, sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, and shared aspirations for peace, development and prosperity.
They reviewed the implementation of existing cooperation frameworks, including the Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Federation and the African Union on Basic Principles of Relations and Cooperation signed in 2019, as well as the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum Action Plan and Russia-AU Commission Action Plan for 2023-2026.
The two sides agreed to work toward adopting a new action plan for 2027-2029 and further deepen cooperation ahead of the Third Africa-Russia Summit scheduled for October 28-29, 2026, in Moscow.
Peace and security cooperation
The AU and Russia exchanged views on peace and security developments across Africa, including situations in the Sahel, the Great Lakes region, the Horn of Africa, Sudan, South Sudan and Libya.
They reaffirmed the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and political solutions in addressing conflicts and crises, while emphasizing support for African-led and African-owned approaches to conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction.
The two sides underscored the importance of sustained international support for African peace initiatives and institutions, stressing the need for predictable and adequate financing for AU-led peace support operations authorized by the United Nations Security Council.
They called for the effective implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which provides a framework for financing AU-led peace support operations, to strengthen African capacity in addressing peace and security challenges.
The AU Commission and Russia also agreed on the importance of closer coordination between the three elected African members of the UN Security Council (A3) and Russia’s delegation in New York on peace and security matters.
Global governance and financial reforms
The two sides reiterated their commitment to strengthening multilateralism, with the United Nations at the center of global governance, and called for reforms to address historical injustices and ensure equitable representation.
Russia expressed support for Africa’s Common Position on UN Security Council reform, as outlined in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration, which call for greater African representation in global decision-making institutions.
The AU and Russia also emphasized the need for a more inclusive, transparent and development-oriented international financial system that reflects the priorities of developing countries, particularly African states.
They called for stronger efforts to address debt challenges, expand access to affordable financing, increase Africa’s voice in international financial institutions and promote fairer trade and investment frameworks.
Food security, health and development cooperation
The two sides expressed concern over global food security challenges and their impact on African countries, stressing the importance of uninterrupted access to food, fertilizers and agricultural inputs.
They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening agricultural cooperation, increasing food production and building resilience across the continent.
The AU and Russia also expressed concern over Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, agreeing to explore ways to enhance cooperation with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in outbreak response, preparedness, surveillance, laboratory systems and public health capacity building.
In infrastructure and energy, the two sides expressed interest in cooperation supporting the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), energy access, industrial development, transport connectivity and technological advancement.
Trade, investment and institutional dialogue
Russia reaffirmed support for Africa’s development priorities under Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, while both sides highlighted the importance of aligning future cooperation with Agenda 2063, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Africa’s industrialization agenda.
They encouraged stronger engagement between African and Russian public and private sector institutions to expand trade and investment cooperation.
The AU Commission and Russia welcomed preparations for the Third Africa-Russia Summit and expressed confidence that the meeting would provide renewed momentum to bilateral relations.
The two sides also agreed to strengthen institutional dialogue through sectoral discussions and expert consultations, and to hold regular high-level political consultations at least once a year.
The next high-level consultations are expected to take place in 2027 at a mutually agreed date and venue.