The Valdai Discussion Club, in partnership with the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), is hosting the 3rd Russia-Africa Conference in Pretoria, South Africa. The event, themed “Realpolitik in a Divided World: Rethinking Russia-South Africa Ties in a Global and African Context,” brings together political leaders, diplomats, and experts from across Africa and Russia, including delegates from Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Tanzania.
The conference’s key objectives include strengthening networks between Russian and African policy experts, facilitating closed-door dialogue on pressing international challenges, and crafting actionable foreign policy recommendations. Critical topics on the agenda range from the strategic roles of the G20 and BRICS in the evolving global order to humanitarian cooperation and the importance of historical memory in Russia’s relations with South Africa and other African nations.
Additionally, the conference will delve into bilateral relations between Russia and South Africa, assessing their current state and future prospects. It will also examine the impact of new US policy directions under the Trump administration on global politics and how Russia and African countries can strategically engage with these evolving dynamics. The Valdai Club’s Africa-focused initiative reflects Russia’s ongoing effort to recalibrate its engagement with the continent through diplomacy, dialogue, and a pragmatic approach to international relations.
