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How Russia Can Help Africa with Education and Science Discussed as Part of Russia-Africa Forum Youth Programme

A panel discussion entitled ‘Building a Common Future: Educational and Scientific Opportunities of Russia for Africa’ took place on 28 July as part of the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum youth programme. Speakers and experts participating in the event included Director of Center for Strategic Initiatives, MISIS University; Deputy Chairman, Coordinating Council for Youth Affairs in the Scientific and Educational Spheres of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Science and Education Andrey Voronin, Governor of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area – Yugra Natalya Komarova, Leader of the Pan-African Movement Kemi Seba, Core Team Member of Friends for Leadership at the Center for International Promotion Foundation David Okpatuma, and Advisor to the Head of International Activities at the Talent and Success Foundation Maria Matveeva. The discussion was moderated by Vice-Rector for Youth Policy, Social Work and International Relations at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations Stanislav Surovtsev.

In his opening remarks, Surovtsev spoke of a new desire on the part of Russia to develop co-operation in education with the countries of Africa. “It is very important that we lay the foundation for fruitful and mutually beneficial co-operation right now,” the moderator said as he kicked off the discussion.

President of the Pan-African Movement Kemi Seba spoke first, reporting that the educational models imposed by the West remained in force on the African continent: “We have African school programmes, but they are European and American, and we ought to have our own”. Seba said that co-operation in the 21st century should be devoid of ideology and should be equitable and mutually beneficial.

Picking up the discussion was Governor of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area – Yugra Natalya Komarova, who stated that Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area – Yugra was prepared to increase the number of students it took in from Africa in a variety of fields ranging from oil and gas, energy, and medicine to IT. “There are already more than 400 international students studying with us, approximately 20 from Africa, and we are prepared to do more in this respect [to increase the number of students from Africa in Yugra]. We are working systematically to create educational opportunities for Russians and international students alike,” Komarova said. According to her, Yugra State University was ready to open distance learning centres for the study of Russian in Africa. The university’s pilot version trained 10 young people at the Russian House in Zambia during the coronavirus pandemic, and they went on to satisfy Russian language minimum requirements and qualify for scholarships under the Russian Ministry of Education and Science quota.

Advisor to the Head of International Activities at the Talent and Success Foundation Maria Matveeva spoke about opportunities that exist for African students in Russia. “On 27–28 April, we held our first ever International Mathematics Olympiad. Next year we are inviting students from the African continent to participate in person,” Matveeva said, noting that the next event that would open to young Africans is the International Astronomy Olympiad, slated for November 2023.

Core Team Member of Friends for Leadership at the Center for International Promotion Foundation David Okpatuma focused on the importance of educational co-operation between Russia and Africa. He noted that the population of Africa had exceeded 1 billion, 60% of whom were young people, and that African students thought very highly of the Russian education system. “Russia’s education system aligns with our traditions and our values. And when students return, they can benefit the continent in important ways,” Okpatuma said in summary. 

 

The Second Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum and Summit have been organised by the Roscongress Foundation.

 

Event website: summitafrica.ru

 

 

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“We highly value the results of our joint work at the summit. I am sure the achieved results are creating a good foundation for further deepening the Russia-Africa partnership in the interests of our nations’ prosperity and wellbeing.”

President of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Putin

The Russia–Africa Summit, which is taking place in Sochi on 23–24 October 2019, encapsulates the historically friendly relations between the African continent and the Russian Federation. This Summit carries great significance as it is the first of its kind to emerge during a period of major global and international transformations. In response to the aspirations of the people it is representing, the Summit intends to build a comprehensive framework for expanding Russian–African relations into broader horizons of joint cooperation across different fields.

The African nations and Russia share a common understanding of international relations, based on the principles of respect for the rule of international law, equality, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. Both sides affirm their commitment to support multilateral actions to oppose new international threats, be they terrorism and extremism in all their forms, or declining growth rates. The two sides share a firm conviction regarding the importance of developing trade flows and supporting mutual investment in such a way as to ensure security, peace and development for the African and Russian people.

African countries have huge potential and opportunities that will allow them, once efforts to streamline their economies have been achieved, to emerge as real global players. In recent years, the nations of this continent have achieved major successes spanning the political, economic, social and administrative spheres. Africa has flourished in terms of growth over the past decade, reaching a continent-wide growth rate of 3.55% in 2018.

The African Union Summit, which was held in Niger in July 2019, continued the efforts of the African countries and saw the African Continental Free Trade Agreement come into force, along with its operational instruments. The agreement is one of the key objectives of Agenda 2063, an African development strategy that has been created to address the African people’s desire for prosperity and decent living standards.

These successes are opening up wide-ranging prospects for cooperation between African countries and the Russian Federation, and confirm the determination of African governments and their people to cooperate with multiple partners in order to establish mutually beneficial relations.

With this in mind, we express our hopes that the Russia–Africa Summit will help in the establishment of constructive strategic relations, based on partnership between two sides across various fields, and in the service of fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the African people and their friends in Russia.

President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Abdelfattah ALSISI