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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

Russia and Morocco are expanding their energy partnership In early April, a delegation from the National Federation of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Morocco (Fenelec), headed by CEO Khalil El Gourme, held a series of business meetings in Moscow. The main goal of the visit was to strengthen bilateral ties in the energy sector. As part of the program, Moroccan experts took part in a discussion of the prospects for the supply of Russian industrial equipment to African countries, and also held a number of working meetings at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. The main outcome was a cooperation agreement with the Russian Association of Electronics Developers and Manufacturers, creating a legal basis for joint projects. This visit was a logical continuation of Morocco's growing interest in Russian energy technologies and confirmed their mutual desire to develop a long-term partnership. Experts note the significant potential for cooperation, especially in the field of renewable energy sources and the modernization of energy infrastructure. #AREA#Russia#Africa#energy#Morocco

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

Ivory Coast bets on nuclear energy for energy security Ivory Coast plans to develop nuclear energy to cope with growing demand for electricity, which is increasing by 10% annually. At a seminar in Abidjan, the country's authorities considered small modular reactors (SMRs) as a promising low-carbon energy source. According to the master plan for 2022-2040, Ivory Coast intends to increase its installed capacity and bring the share of renewable sources to 45%. However, to implement the nuclear program, the country will need to attract private investment and develop a strict regulatory framework. Analysts note that interest in nuclear energy in Africa is growing, especially against the backdrop of the active participation of Russia, China and the United States, which are promoting their technologies in the region. For Ivory Coast, this could be a step towards energy independence, but success will depend on the ability to attract financing and ensure the safety of projects. #AREA#Russia#Africa#IvoryCoast#energy

AREA continues to express its gratitude to the media that covered the round table "Information Bridge: Russia — Africa". Another selection of publications about the event: Colombia, Juan Manuel Rincon https://elliberalpopayan.com/opinion/juan-manuel-rincon/heroinas-de-ayer-lideres-de-hoy-y-faros-del-manana/?amp=1 Bangladesh, Obaidur Chowdhury (Ajoy) https://bayofbengalpost.com/news/information_bridge_a_new_chapter Egypt, Hassan Ali Ghazali https://nasseryouthmovement.net/ar/Media-cooperation-Russia-and-Africa-projects https://nasseryouthmovement.net/sw/Ushirikiano-Vyombo-Habari-Russia-Afrika-Kukuza-Miradi https://nasseryouthmovement.net/media-cooperation-between-russia-and-africa-stimulating-joint-projects https://nasseryouthmovement.net/fr/medias-cooperation-russie-afrique-projets-communs https://nasseryouthmovement.net/es/rusia-%C3%A1frica-colaboraci%C3%B3n Zambia, Tadashi Lakhi https://icutvzm.com/articles\russia-and-africa-strengthen-media-cooperation-for-joint-projects Zambia, Samuel Saizi Mbewe https://www.facebook.com/shoutzambianews/posts/pfbid0jf2Jho2eviTwr4s5NvBLL1GxZ5yBftUVvha9WvFKFBwKP2tgpxuJ929fU6yApA4Hl Cameroon, Richard Kamkanye https://pointafrique7.com/le-zimbabwe-depose-une-demande-dadhesion-aux-brics/ https://pointafrique7.com/presidentielle-gabonaise-seules-4-candidatures-validees-sur-les-23-recues-par-la-cnocer/ Cameroon, Abongwa Tantoh и Mr. Laba https://www.breakingnewsbilingue.com Uganda, Nelson Mandela https://www.pmldaily.com/news/2025/03/moscow-hosts-landmark-roundtable-on-russia-africa-media-collaboration.html Malawi, Lloyd M'bwana https://www.maravipost.com/media-cooperation-between-russia-and-africa-stimulating-joint-projects/ Guinea https://guineelive.com/2025/03/10/cooperation-mediatique-entre-la-russie-et-lafrique-stimulation-des-projets-communs/ Sao Tome and Principe https://www.jornaltropical.st/01.php?id=380 Liberia https://gnnliberia.com/media-cooperation-between-russia-and-africa-stimulating-joint-projects/ Somalia, Kester Clomega https://hornobserver.com/articles/3231/Media-Cooperation-between-Russia-and-Africa-Stimulating-Joint-Projects #AREA#Russia#Africa#media

"Information Bridge: Russia - Africa" attracted attention of the world press The round table "Information Bridge: Russia - Africa", organized by the Expert Council on the development and support of comprehensive partnership with African countries under the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Alexander Babakov and the African-Russian Energy Association, received wide coverage in media. We express our gratitude to the journalists for their close attention to the work we do. Serbia https://kragujevcani.rs/u-moskvi-odrzan-humanitarni-forum-rusija-afrika-od-projekta-do-novih-dostignuca/ https://bricssrbija.rs/u-moskvi-odrzan-humanitarni-forum-rusija-afrika-od-projekta-do-novih-dostignuca/ India https://www.eastpost.in/ru-ussr/2025/03/russia-africa-media-cooperation-stimulating-collaborations-in-the-era-of-multipolarity/ Public diplomacy https://vk.com/wall6336002_9277 https://t.me/publicdiplomacyfoundation/412 https://t.me/publicdiplomacyfoundation/413 https://t.me/publicdiplomacyfoundation/415 RusAfro Media (RusAfro Club) https://bricssrbija.rs/u-moskvi-odrzan-humanitarni-forum-rusija-afrika-od-projekta-do-novih-dostignuca/ https://thenews-chronicle.com/media-cooperation-between-russia-and-africa-stimulating-joint-projects/ https://www.eurasiareview.com/08032025-media-cooperation-between-russia-and-africa-stimulating-joint-projects-oped/ https://www.theinteldrop.org/2025/03/07/media-cooperation-between-russia-and-africa-stimulating-joint-projects/ https://www.opinionnigeria.com/media-cooperation-between-russia-and-africa-stimulating-joint-projects-by-kester-kenn-klomegah/ https://thepressradio.com/media-cooperation-between-russia-and-africa-stimulating-joint-projects/ https://www.facebook.com/shoutzambianews/posts/pfbid0jf2Jho2eviTwr4s5NvBLL1GxZ5yBftUVvha9WvFKFBwKP2tgpxuJ929fU6yApA4Hl https://t.me/rusafroclub/6839 https://t.me/rusafroclub/6832 https://t.me/rusafroclub/6822 https://t.me/rusafroclub/6791 https://t.me/rusafroclub/6792 https://vk.com/wall-217792932_368 https://vk.com/wall-217792932_369 Tanzania, Kissa Daniel Gwatalile https://michezoleo.com/vyombo-vya-habari-kuimarisha-uhusiano-wa-urusi-na-afrika/ https://www.facebook.com/share/19VHmuDWLG/?mibextid=wwXIfr Egypt https://cairo.seha24.net/2174789 Togo, Dzakpata Raymond https://dzapataraymond.over-blog.com/2025/media-cooperation-between-russia-and-africa-boosting-joint-projects.html #AREA#Russia#Africa#media

Russia and Zimbabwe to expand cooperation in the energy sector On March 6, a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Zimbabwean counterpart Amon Murwira was held in Moscow. During the meeting, the ministers discussed further strengthening of relations between Russia and Zimbabwe. The parties discussed strengthening political dialogue, exchanged views on the issues of reforming the UN Security Council, the situation in the Sahara-Sahel zone and the Great Lakes Region, and noted the importance of consolidating the efforts of Moscow and Harare in favor of forming a more equitable multipolar world order. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the ministers paid special attention to the tasks of expanding and diversifying mutually beneficial trade, economic and investment cooperation. In particular, the parties agreed to improve the legal framework, jointly implement promising projects in geological exploration, energy, infrastructure, and information and communication technologies. The outcome of the negotiations between Lavrov and Murwira was the signing of the Russian-Zimbabwean Declaration on ways and means of countering, mitigating and compensating for the negative consequences of unilateral coercive measures. #AREA#Africa#Russia#Zimbabwe

The State Duma discussed joint media projects between Russia and Africa On March 6, the Expert Council on the development and support of comprehensive partnership with African countries under the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Alexander Babakov and the African-Russian Energy Association held a round table "Information Bridge: Russia - Africa". During the event, invited experts, including Russian and African journalists, bloggers, diplomats, analysts and businessmen, developed specific proposals and recommendations on the use of media and the blogosphere to develop Russian-African relations and promote applied projects. In his report, Alexander Babakov emphasized the need for state participation in resolving problems in media communications. "There are a lot of institutions and a lot of resources for this. Today, they must be treated very carefully and seriously," Babakov noted. The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, pointed out the fact that there are currently no African media outlets accredited on a permanent basis in Russia, so journalists from Africa are involved in covering events in the Russian Federation on an ad hoc basis rather than on a regular basis. "It is important to continue contacts between Russian and African media. Strengthen cooperation through educational programs, press tours and large media conferences," the diplomat proposed solutions. The director of the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irina Abramova, noted the importance of attracting African bloggers and insisted on the need to broadcast not only in major African capitals, but also in the provinces. "Africa is young, open to new things, and it should not be presented only as a poor and hungry territory," Abramova concluded. Journalist and presenter from Cameroon, member of the Globus expert club Clarisse Wiydorven stated in her speech that covering Russian-African relations in the global media landscape requires attention to traditional and new media. Head of the RT African Production Service, Svyatoslav Shchegolev, said that the media in Africa are finding new ways to convey information to viewers. This often happens despite pressure from the West. Editor-in-chief of International Reporters Victoria Smorodina dedicated her speech to France, which is losing influence on the continent, specifically pointing out the recommendation of the former metropolis not to fight pan-African demands, but to support the creation of an independent Africa. The results of the round table were summed up by the executive secretary of the board of AREA Andrei Gromov. He presented the provisions of the resolution with recommendations on measures to stimulate Russian-African cooperation in the information sphere. "We know of a number of business projects that simply fell apart because there was not enough coverage and explanations in the media. Mass communications and feedback should not be ignored when building business and economic ties," Gromov summed up. #AREA#Africa#Russia#media

Problems and their solutions: information interaction between Russia and Africa to be discussed in Moscow On March 6, the Expert Council on the Development and Support of Comprehensive Partnership with African Countries under the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Alexander Babakov will hold a round table "Information Bridge: Russia - Africa". The event is co-organized by AREA. The need to hold a round table is due to the information blockade from the West and insufficient coverage of bilateral relations in Russian and African media. In this regard, the experts set themselves a number of tasks. ✔️ Assess the current state of coverage of Russian-African relations in the media and blogosphere of both sides; ✔️Identify key challenges and obstacles that impede the formation of an objective and balanced information field; ✔️Develop specific proposals and recommendations on the use of the media and blogosphere to promote Russian-African projects and initiatives; ✔️Establish direct contacts between representatives of the media and blogosphere of Russia and Africa to exchange experiences and best practices; ✔️Form an information agenda that promotes mutual understanding and trust between Russia and African countries; The discussion will involve representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry, leading Russian and African journalists, editors, bloggers and opinion leaders, specialists in information security and countering disinformation, experts, as well as representatives of think tanks, research organizations, businesses and companies. The expected outcome of the round table will be a resolution with specific recommendations on measures to stimulate Russian-African cooperation in the information sphere. #AREA#Africa#Russia#media

The US has ended its program to electrify Africa, opening the way for BRICS The administration of US President Donald Trump has stopped funding the Power Africa program, aimed at increasing energy capacity in sub-Saharan Africa. This was reported by Bloomberg, citing a source. The Power Africa program was launched in 2013 under President Barack Obama and was funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The State Department said that programs that do not meet the interests of the United States will no longer be supported. Most of the employees have already been fired. This decision creates a vacuum in Africa's energy infrastructure, which BRICS countries can fill by offering investments and technologies for the development of energy on the continent. At the same time, the members of the association will be able to strengthen their presence on the continent. #AREA#SouthAfrica#USA#BRICS#Africa

South Africa may choose Russia and Iran for its nuclear project South Africa is considering cooperation with Russia and Iran to expand its civilian nuclear capacity, a move that could complicate relations with the United States and delay the renewal of a strategic energy deal between the countries, Reuters reports. South Africa, home to the continent's only nuclear power plant, the Koeberg, is planning to add 2,500 megawatts of new capacity to combat power outages and reduce emissions. The country has announced a tender and, according to Minerals and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, Russia and Iran will not be excluded from it. "If their proposals are the best, we will choose them," he stressed. The statement has caused concern in Washington. Earlier, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order limiting aid to South Africa, citing its alleged military and nuclear cooperation with Iran. South African authorities have denied the allegations. A South African nuclear tender planned for last year has been delayed by legal wrangling. Meanwhile, work is underway on a new US-South African nuclear cooperation agreement (the 123 Agreement), which is needed to export nuclear technology and fuel from the US. The previous agreement expired in 2022. According to Zizamele Mbambo, an official in the South African Department of Energy, the negotiations have been completed at a technical level, but the signing is being delayed by legal procedures. Analysts say South Africa's decision to turn to Russia and Iran could heighten geopolitical tensions and slow the restoration of cooperation with the US. #AREA#South Africa #Russia#Iran#USA

Nigeria and Egypt discuss cooperation in nuclear energy and quantum technologies with Russia African countries continue to express interest in working with Russia.Energy remains one of the key areas. Thus, on the sidelines of the African Union summit, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar reported on the ongoing negotiations between the countries. Among the topics discussed are nuclear energy, mining, etc. "We are discussing opportunities in many areas - in nuclear energy, in mining, we are discussing investments made back in the days of the USSR, which need to be continued... we are waiting for Russia and hope that it will focus more on Nigeria, and not only on the Sahel countries," he said. In parallel, Rosatom began discussing cooperation with Egypt in the field of quantum technologies. The CEO of the state corporation, Alexey Likhachev, said that quantum technologies are "the future" and their development is closely linked to the nuclear industry. In addition, Rosatom offered Egypt high-tech projects in medicine, including supply of the Tianox device, as well as construction of a desalination plant similar to the one being built at the Turkish Akkuyu NPP. This plant will provide water not only to the nuclear power plant, but also to a recreational area in northern Egypt, which is being developed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Today, Rosatom actively cooperates with more than 20 African countries, including Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana and Egypt. It is in Egypt that the joint El-Dabaa NPP is currently being built, four units of which are to be commissioned by 2030. It is expected that this year investments in the station will exceed the scale of expenses for Akkuyu. According to Likhachev, this is the largest construction site on the planet. At the same time, Rosatom does not intend to stop at just one station. "We still hope that these are the first four units, and after them there will be a further expansion of nuclear technologies on the agenda of the Arab Republic of Egypt," the CEO of the state corporation said. #AREA#Africa#Russia#energy#Nigeria#Egypt