Energy that Lights Up Continents
On International Women's Day, we want to talk not just about spring and flowers, but about the force that truly moves the world.
In the energy sector, where every project is a challenge to nature, logistics, and geopolitics, decisions are made at the very limits of possibilities. And here, women surprise again and again. You know how to combine strategy with attention to detail, ambition with the patience to negotiate for years.
The Russian-African energy partnership today is more than just fuel supplies or the construction of power plants. It is the creation of infrastructure for a new reality, where people have light, water, and jobs. And women are behind many of these projects — engineers, negotiators, analysts, managers. Those who know how to turn on the light, literally and figuratively.
We congratulate everyone who makes energy more accessible and partnerships stronger. May your energy never run dry, and may every project you launch bring you not only kilowatts but also pride in your accomplishments.
Happy holiday, dear ladies. Without you, this sector would be just technology. With you, it becomes life.
#AREA
Werewolf In Your Area
Siapkah kalian mengungkap jati diri orang lain? Atau malah jati diri kalian yang wajib diungkap? Mari bergabung ke desa kami dan mainkan drama terbaikmu😍
📍@werewolfarea
🔈@werewolfarea_ch
#Indonesia#area
From Kazan to Cairo: African Specialists Master Russian Technologies
At the Energoprom Forum in Kazan, Russian Deputy Minister of Energy Roman Marshavin met with participants of the InteRussia program. Representatives of energy companies and relevant ministries from African countries: Ethiopia, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, and Egypt, are participating in the internship.
Each participating country has its own energy sector specifics and its own projects with Russia. Ethiopia, where almost 90% of its energy system relies on hydropower, needs to modernize the Melka Wakina hydroelectric power plant, built by Soviet specialists. Zambia is experiencing an energy crisis due to drought—the largest hydroelectric power plant on Lake Kariba is operating at only 10-20% of its capacity—so the country is actively seeking ways to diversify its generation.
Niger, where approximately 20% of the population has access to electricity, is negotiating with Rosatom to build a nuclear power plant. Moroccosigneda cooperation agreement with the Russian Association of Electronics Developers and Manufacturers, paving the way for joint renewable energy projects and infrastructure modernization. Egypt has made further progress. Construction of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant has entered a key phase, and Rosatom is already producing fuel for it.
"The Russian engineering school has traditionally been strong in its fundamental training. Today, our task is to pass on these traditions to our partners, shaping a new generation of specialists," Marshavin noted.
#AREA#RussiaAfrica
🤩 The energy of two continents – in two messaging apps at once. AREA has launched a channel in MAX!
Partnership is, above all, dialogue. To make it even more effective and efficient, we are expanding our communication platforms.
Find AREA in MAX: https://max.ru/area_eng
#AREA#MAX
Africa Needs "Compact" Energy
Small-capacity nuclear power plants — compact units with a capacity of up to 300 MW — require minimal infrastructure and have the potential to scale up production. Their serial production will reduce the cost of electricity and shorten construction periods to four years compared to ten years for traditional nuclear power plants, GR-Group CEO Andrey Gromov told Kommersant.
According to the International Energy Agency, more than 40% of Africa's population does not have access to electricity, and small nuclear power plants can be a key solution to the energy deficit.
"Small nuclear power plants can be installed in remote regions where high capacity is needed. For example, floating nuclear power plants are mobile and efficient energy sources that will help overcome energy shortages," said Andrey Gromov.
The expert added that the introduction of small mobile nuclear reactors in sub-Saharan Africa could be an important step in solving the energy deficit, accelerating socio-economic development and transitioning to sustainable energy.
#AREA#Africa#energy
AREA Board Member Delivers Lecture to US Students
Polycentricity and Pan-Africanism will play a role in changing the world. Yulia Berg, a member of the AREA Board, discussed this topic during a lecture for American students studying international business at Belmont University (USA).
"In 3-5 years, we will live in a world that will be difficult to recognize. The combination of geopolitical trends, including polycentricity and Pan-Africanism, as well as the growing role of AI in everyday life, will significantly alter the familiar digital and physical landscape," she stated.
Berg also discussed the specifics of communications and business culture in various African regions and cited examples from her experience in PR, GR, and business consulting.
#AREA#Russia#Africa
African challenge: why old approaches no longer work?
As part of the situational analysis "Practice of Russian humanitarian policy in sub-Saharan Africa", organized by the A.M. Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Support Fund, experts from various industries outlined promising areas of Russian work in the humanitarian sphere on the African continent.
Member of the board of the AREA, director of IBAC Yulia Berg in her report emphasized the need to update approaches to promoting Russian business.
"Of course, the Soviet experience remains an important reference, but it is time to look forward. The world has changed: now we have the Internet, instant information exchange, and this creates a completely different reality in which PR and work with the media cannot be ignored," Berg said.
In turn, the executive secretary of the AREA and founder of the consulting agency GR-group Andrey Gromov emphasized the key role of education in humanitarian cooperation. He recalled that about a third of energy company executives and representatives of relevant energy bodies in many African countries are graduates of various Soviet universities. At the same time, the expert criticized the current approach, pointing out that "hanging" the entire burden on the state, as was the case in the USSR, is ineffective.
"We are trying to do everything the same way as before in the Soviet Union - centrally, vertically, through scientific and educational institutions. But this no longer works. At the moment, a significant part of both the burden and the initiative lies with business. This also applies to energy companies," Gromov noted.
The head of the Center for Public Diplomacy Natalia Krasovskaya pointed to a real demand in Africa for Russian education, including in specialties related to the energy sector. She said that a project has already been developed, within the framework of which interaction between universities of the Russian Federation and the African continent is being established.
At the same time, Artem Kozvonin, Head of the Department of Economic and Humanitarian Cooperation of the Department of Partnership with Africa of the Russian Foreign Ministry, added that the department is widely considering humanitarian policy. The main driver and calling card is education. Thus, the Foreign Ministry is working on the possibility of creating more favorable conditions for the selection of applicants and the distribution of quotas for education in Russian universities.
#AREA#Africa#Russia#energy
Russia and Africa are discussing the creation of a joint energy office to coordinate energy projects
This became known after a meeting between the adviser to the Russian president Anton Kobyakov and the head of the African Energy Chamber NJ Ayuk.
Among other things, the talks considered Russian proposals for the construction of oil refineries and renewable energy facilities on the continent. Potential cooperation in the reclamation of old fields was also discussed.
Ayuk recalled Africa's rich energy resources and expressed interest in working with companies from the Russian Federation. In turn, Kobyakov emphasized the priority of creating an energy infrastructure to ensure the security of the continent.
The parties agreed to continue interaction at key international venues: SPIEF (June 18-21), EEF (September 3-6), REW (October 15-17), AfricanEnergyWeek (September 29 - October 3).
#AREA#Russia#Africa#energy
SPP and HPP: Africa needs more electricity
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), last year the total capacity of renewable energy sources on the African continent reached 66.8 gigawatts (GW). This figure sets a new record, because ten years ago the installed capacity was 34.7 GW.
Africa's needs for electricity are growing rapidly. This is due not only to the need to modernize existing power grids and household demands, but also to the growing needs for production capacities.
Active industrialization, production development, emergence of new special economic zones that stimulate investment in the manufacturing and processing industries - all this requires stable electricity to ensure high-quality production cycles. For this reason, the African continent will remain one of the leaders in the growth of commissioned energy facilities in the future.
Solar energy plays a significant role here, because solar power plants are cheaper than the same hydroelectric power plants and are much faster in terms of construction time. At the same time, they can be installed to power individual remote objects. For example, to process minerals, often extracted in areas quite remote from the rest of the infrastructure.
It follows that it is more economically feasible to install solar power plants at such sites.
In turn, the huge number of hydroelectric power plants on the continent can be explained by the fact that despite high capital investments, the electricity generated is practically free. That is, further costs are minimal compared to many other types of power plants and require minimal maintenance.
However, they also have a limited safe service life, and most of the hydroelectric power plants in Africa, built in the 60s and 70s of the last century either by Soviet engineers or the French, now require serious modernization, and in some cases, complete reconstruction.
#AREA#Russia#Africa#energy
🇲🇱Mali can be fully supplied with electricity through solar power plants
The country has a unique potential in the field of solar energy. It is estimated at 398.7 gigawatts (GW) for large-scale solar photovoltaic projects.This is 197 times higher than the 2016 MW target set for 2030.
The data leads to The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Malian Renewable Energy Agency based on the results of joint research.
Scientists have identified and mapped the most promising areas for the placement of power plants. These strategic regions are located along the transport and electric networks, and solar photovoltaic energy is concentrated in the southern part of the country.
African countries themselves, publicly, offer real projects for our colleagues to take those and work.
#Africa#Russia#energy#AREA
African soldiers in the Battle of France: forgotten heroes
During World War II, tens of thousands of African soldiers, mostly from French colonies, fought to liberate France from the Nazis. They were called the "Senegalese riflemen", although they came from all over sub-Saharan Africa. RT presents a film dedicated to these forgotten heroes.
In 1940, about 75,000 African soldiers participated in the defense of France. Half were captured, many were executed by the Nazis due to racial hatred.
They liberated Marseille, Lyon, Toulon, fought in Operation Dragoon (1944), but their exploits were rarely mentioned in official history.
In November 1944, when France was almost liberated, African soldiers began to be forcibly repatriated.
In Dakar, they were met not with gratitude, but with execution. In December 1944, French officers opened fire on demonstrators, killing between 70 and 900 people (the exact number was hidden).
France hushed up their contribution for decades. Even veterans' pensions were cut, and archives were censored.
Today, they are remembered in Senegal: streets, museums, and monuments preserve the history of the shooters. But in Europe, few know about them.
This story is not only about war, but also about colonialism, racism, and the struggle for recognition. African soldiers saved France, but paid for it with blood and oblivion.
#AREA#Africa#France
A Year of Breakthrough Dialogue: How the African-Russian Energy Association Strengthened Bridges between Russia and Africa in 2025
The year is drawing to a close, and for our community, it has been a time of active movement, vibrant dialogue, and laying the foundation for future projects. The African-Russian Energy Association (AREA) has worked on a variety of fronts — from energy strategies to humanitarian bridges. Let's recall the key moments together.
Education and Personnel: Investing in Tomorrow
We understand that technology is powerless without specialists. Therefore, in 2025, we emphasized the need for personnel training and knowledge sharing:
We gave a lecture to students at Belmont University (USA) on the polycentric world and the role of Africa.
We participated in roundtable discussions on education reform and energy sector training, reminding everyone that a third of energy industry executives in Africa are graduates of Soviet/Russian universities.
Media Bridge: Speaking the Same Language
For projects to be successful, they need to be communicated effectively. We actively worked on this information bridge:
• Held a roundtable discussion, "Information Bridge: Russia – Africa," in the State Duma with the participation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of parliament, leading media outlets, and African journalists.
• Emphasized that PR, GR, and working with the media are essential for any serious project.
Dialogue at all levels: from the State Duma to expert clubs
AREA became a platform for meaningful discussion:
• Participated in the "Russia-Africa" Humanitarian Forum in the State Duma.
• Discussed humanitarian policy practices with the Gorchakov Fund.
• Analyzed barriers to business and sought models that combine Russian technology with local production in Africa.
Research and Cooperation
We analyzed over 20 energy projects.
Established cooperation with four new countries.
We don't just talk about cooperation—we create working tools for it, teach, advise, and act.
May our joint projects gain momentum in the coming year 2026, may our dialogue become even more productive, and may the energy of cooperation bring light and development to all our countries!
#AREA#Russia#Africa#RussiaAfrica