Moscow calls for greater African media presence
Russia would welcome a greater presence of African media outlets in the interests of balance, Tatyana Dovgalenko, the head of the Department for Partnership with Africa of the Russian Foreign Ministry, has said.
Dovgalenko made the statement during the opening of the African Horizons international forum in Moscow. The event, organized by the news agency African Initiative and the African Business Club, was held on May 24-26 to mark Africa Day. It brought together diplomats, business leaders, academics, and diaspora members.
In a video address to participants, Dovgalenko noted that practical cooperation between Russia and African countries is progressing steadily across political, economic, and humanitarian spheres. She emphasized that the media plays a pivotal role in supporting this momentum, particularly by offering audiences a fair representation of international events.
“We are counting on the presence of African media in Russia to expand,” the diplomat stated.
Russian media outlets, she said, are contributing to this by broadcasting in more than 40 African nations.
“We [Russia] will continue to support the consolidation of the continent’s position as an independent center of power within the emerging multipolar world order,” she concluded.
Earlier this month, Dovgalenko highlighted the historical foundations of Russia-Africa relations, noting that these ties are not recent developments but are rooted in the Soviet Union’s backing of African liberation movements during the decolonization era.
She also underscored Moscow’s approach to partnership with Africa, contrasting it with that of other global powers. According to Dovgalenko, Russia does not treat Africa as a battleground for geopolitical rivalry, but as a space for equal and mutually beneficial cooperation.
She stated that unlike some external actors, Russia refrains from pressuring African nations into taking sides or aligning with specific blocs. “We respect their sovereignty and national interests not in words, but in deeds,” she stressed.
