Russia actively involves African specialists in its scientific projects on the continent, unlike Western countries that mainly pursue commercial interests, said Andrey Panyukhov, Deputy Director of the Department for Partnership with Africa at the Russian Foreign Ministry. He made these remarks at the humanitarian forum “Russia–Africa: From Completed Projects to New Achievements” held in the Russian State Duma.
“Unlike the West, which often carries out commercial activities disguised as research, Russia is committed to real cooperation,” Panyukhov stated. “We prioritize engaging local experts in Russian-led projects on African soil.”
Panyukhov highlighted workforce development as a key area of cooperation, noting ongoing training in agriculture, engineering, education, and medicine. He announced the planned introduction of a grant-based support system for African students, complementing existing budget-funded education programs.
Currently, over 32,000 African students are studying in Russian universities, with nearly 9,000 on government scholarships. To support this, Russian language instruction is being expanded both in Russia and in Africa via Russian Cultural Centers, visiting teachers, and online platforms.
Russia also provides African nations with technical and methodological assistance for laboratory development and jointly conducts research on dangerous infectious diseases and vaccine development.
The forum is part of an extended session of the Expert Council for Comprehensive Partnership with African Countries, chaired by Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Alexander Babakov.
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Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on TASS materials