Russia and Africa met in Siberia — at the 3rd “Russia–Africa” Forum as part of Technoprom

An important event of the first day of Technoprom was the 3rd International Forum “Russia–Africa: Education. Business. Culture – 2026,” organized with the participation of the Center for People’s Diplomacy

The Russia–Africa international forum is being held within Technoprom for the third time. This year, the Center for People’s Diplomacy organized a visit to the capital of Siberia by officials from eight African countries: Togo, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Nigeria, Namibia, Niger, and Guinea-Bissau. At the start of the forum’s business program, representatives of the foreign delegations were received by the Governor of the Novosibirsk Region, Andrey Travnikov.

The discussion of concrete steps to develop Russia–Africa partnership began with a round table, “Experience in implementing Russia–Africa educational projects.” The Executive Director of the CPD, Natalia Krasovskaya, presented the Center’s projects that have proven themselves well in Africa: a system of specialized classes with Russian-language study, preparatory faculties at Russian universities, and programs for targeted training of specialists for the most important sectors of African countries’ economies.

The discussion continued within the panel session “African personnel for African countries: organizing a system for returning graduates to the sending countries.” In addition to the African guests, the event was attended by representatives of Russian universities, the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and other experts.

Greeting those gathered, CPD Director General and State Duma deputy Dmitry Savelyev noted that the issue of education and personnel training for African countries is now one of the most fundamental and relevant. The head of the CPD spoke about the Center’s successes in developing humanitarian cooperation with African countries, in promoting the Russian language on the continent, and in advancing Russian educational programs.

Representatives of the African side also highly praised the effectiveness of the CPD’s work, in particular the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Sierra Leone to Russia, Mohamed Yongawo.

The first day of Technoprom also brought signed cooperation agreements with representatives of African countries. Thus, the Center for People’s Diplomacy secured the support of the Ministry of National Education of the Togolese Republic and agreed on joint projects with the state university of Guinea-Bissau—the Amílcar Cabral University. A number of leading universities in Siberia also concluded agreements with this university.

Other universities in Russia and Africa are also preparing to sign agreements. In particular, within the forum, the Minister of National Education of Togo and representatives of Novosibirsk State Technical University held talks on promising areas of cooperation.

In addition, the Governor of the Novosibirsk Region, Andrey Alexandrovich Travnikov, and the head of Namibia’s ǁKaras Region, Gerrit Witbooi, with the mediation of the Center for People’s Diplomacy, signed a Memorandum of Understanding which, in essence, makes the regions sister regions and becomes a foundation for developing friendship, exchanging experience, and comprehensive cooperation.