Putin tells Russia–Africa forum in Moscow that Russia is ready to share digital technology and accuses Western states of pushing Africa into 'debt bondage'
Speaking at the Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in Moscow on Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin offered African countries Russian digital and public-administration technology, said a multipolar world was becoming reality, and said Western states were lending to Africa on 'extortionate terms'. The forum precedes the third Russia–Africa summit in the Kremlin on Thursday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in Moscow on Wednesday 28 October that Russia was ready to transfer digital technology and know-how to African countries, and accused Western states of trying to push Africa back into debt, according to TASS and Vedomosti. The forum precedes the third Russia–Africa summit, to be held in the Kremlin on Thursday 29 October, Vedomosti reported.
“We are firmly at the forefront of the global race for technological sovereignty,” Putin said. “Russia is open to transfer our modern competencies and high-tech digital know-how to our African friends.” He said Russia could share its experience of using information technology in public administration and that Russia has two large language models of its own, TASS reported.
Remarks on the West
Putin said a multipolar world “is becoming reality” and that “the era in which the fate of continents was determined by a narrow bloc of states” was passing. He said this was meeting resistance from countries that “still live in the colonial past”, which he said used “tariff wars, illegitimate sanctions, economic dictate, blackmail and interference in internal affairs”.
“There are active attempts by Western states to drive Africans back into debt bondage,” Putin said, saying financing was being imposed “at extortionate terms”. He said Russia was helping to ease Africa’s debt burden and called for a stronger African role in decision-making at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and for reform of both institutions.
Trade and education
Putin said Russia exported 13 million tonnes of agricultural products to Africa in the first nine months of 2026, and that about 40,000 African citizens are studying at Russian universities, with the scholarship quota for 2026-27 raised to 5,500 places, TASS reported. He said BRICS countries had produced more than 40% of global GDP over the past five years, against less than 30% for the Group of Seven.
See also: Ethiopian troops reported pulling back from Eritrean border towns; Russia offers to mediate.
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