Harare, (New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa will lead Zimbabwe’s delegation to the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow next month, as Harare seeks to deepen economic, investment and technological cooperation with one of its long-standing international partners.
The summit, scheduled for October 28-29, is expected to bring together African heads of state and government, business leaders, policymakers and experts for discussions on the future of relations between Russia and the continent.
Zimbabwe’s participation will add momentum to the country’s longstanding engagement with Moscow, with President Mnangagwa having attended the previous Russia-Africa summits in Sochi in 2019 and St Petersburg in 2023.
Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister Amon Murwira has confirmed that the President will head the country’s delegation to this year’s meeting.
The Moscow summit comes at a time when Zimbabwe is seeking to expand foreign investment, modernize key sectors of the economy and strengthen international partnerships under its development agenda.
For Harare, the summit is therefore expected to provide an important platform for advancing cooperation in areas such as energy, mining, agriculture, infrastructure, logistics, digitalization, science and technology.
The broader Russia-Africa engagement has increasingly shifted towards practical economic cooperation, with preparations for the Moscow meeting placing particular emphasis on trade, investment, energy, infrastructure, food security and high technology.
The summit will also consider a new Russia-Africa action plan for 2027-2029, setting priorities for the next phase of cooperation between Moscow and African countries.
Zimbabwe’s relationship with Russia has historical roots dating back to the liberation struggle, when Moscow supported African liberation movements. The relationship has since evolved into cooperation spanning politics, mining, agriculture, education and other economic sectors.
President Mnangagwa has also maintained high-level engagement with Russia in recent years, including his participation in the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2024 and his visit to Moscow in May 2025 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Second World War.
The upcoming summit will be the third high-level Russia-Africa gathering since the format was established, following the inaugural meeting in Sochi in 2019 and the second summit in St Petersburg in 2023. The two sides agreed to hold the summit every three years.
New Ziana
