The third Russia-Africa conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club will take place on July 28 in Pretoria, drawing considerable interest from Africa’s academic and diplomatic communities. This was reported to TASS by South Africa’s Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, whose representatives are taking part in the event.
“The conference is being held at a venue traditionally used by the South African government for major events involving foreign heads of state and government,” an official told the agency. “This highlights the conference’s high profile and prestige.”
Alongside the Russian delegation, participants include representatives from the South African foreign ministry, think tanks, leading universities, political scientists, and experts from across the continent. The main theme this year is “Realpolitik in a Divided World: Rethinking Russia-South Africa Ties in Global and African Context.”
According to Oleg Barabanov, Program Director of the Valdai Club and curator of this conference, a key task will be to examine Russia’s cooperation with African countries within BRICS and the G20. “South Africa currently chairs the G20 and is preparing for its summit. There’s also a broad agenda set by the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg two years ago and last year’s ministerial conference, which shapes the context for this event and continues the tradition of Valdai’s expert dialogue with Africa.”
Barabanov noted that this is the third Valdai conference dedicated to Africa: the first was in St. Petersburg during the Russia-Africa summit, and the second took place last year in Tanzania. Since the first Russia-Africa summit in 2019, Valdai has regularly published expert reports on the state of Russia-Africa relations, aiming for a frank discussion of challenges and constructive proposals to make cooperation more effective.
BRICS and G20
The conference includes four sessions, two of which will be closed to the media. Proceedings begin with discussion of issues related to BRICS and the G20—specifically, the strategic roles these groups play in the shifting global order. Materials for the session note the rapidly growing interest in BRICS among countries in the Global South and elsewhere, who see either full membership or partnership as a way to advance their own development and foreign policy priorities. The 2023 BRICS summit in South Africa admitted new countries, while the 2024 summit in Russia defined a group of BRICS partners.
The second session will explore humanitarian cooperation and the role of historical memory in relations between Russia, South Africa, and other African states—addressing how history shapes modern humanitarian agendas, how existing cooperation initiatives can be better organized, and what challenges and opportunities exist.
Closed-Door Sessions
The media-closed part of the conference will start with a session devoted to Russia-South Africa bilateral relations, critically assessing both previous initiatives and current challenges influenced by global and domestic events. Participants will discuss ways to maintain sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships that match Africa’s development priorities and the broader Global South agenda.
The conference will conclude with a session titled “Trump and the World Order.” Preparation documents note that recent changes in US foreign policy under President Donald Trump stand in marked contrast to traditional American approaches to international affairs. This session will analyze how these new directions could affect global politics over the medium term, and how Russia and African countries can develop their own strategic approaches based on national interests.
For many African countries, Valdai Club’s specialized conferences are seen as important platforms for political leaders and intellectuals to refine their approaches to geopolitical challenges and to identify new development pathways for their nations.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: James Wiseman/Unsplash
Based on TASS materials