During this episode I spoke with Brian Mugabi, member of the Ugandan delegation at the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit, Assistant Lecturer at the Department of Theory and History of International Relations at RUDN University and PHD candidate. 

Having both been at the event, Brian and I exchanged opinions and impressions from the event, ran over the key takeaways and compared the 2019 and 2023 formats. We also discussed how many heads of state came to the summit and whether or not that matters, why African countries are tired of being caught in political crossfire, which of Russia’s offerings appeal to Africans most and what Russia’s alternative security architecture solution for the continent looks like. 

Timecodes:

3:55 The meaning of numbers. How many heads of state came to the summit and whether or not that matters.

8:40 Why your enemy should not be my enemy. Why Africa needs the right to chose its own partnerships.

10:14 The key expectations from the event, the Ugandan point of view

13:54 Russia’s alternative solution in terms of security architecture for Africa

16:08 What has been the role of major powers in Africa’s historical development course?

19:45 Africa can both cooperate with the West and have effective cooperation with Russia

20:30 Whether the Soviet legacy matters for the younger generation of Africans. The importance of knowing your national history and how you got to where you are today.

24:14 How the new emerging powers are providing an alternative sovereignty-focused model for Africa

31:13 Is free Russian grain for African enough to stabilise global prices and avoid a food-security meltdown?

33:57 The 2019 Summit VS 2023 Summit

39:53 Why most Africans and Russians learn about each other via Western media. The Summit as a space for unhindered dialogue.

43:15 More youth representation at the event

44:12 What Brian would like to see happen in the run-up to the next summit

47:19 Brian’s vision for the future of Russia-Africa and Russia-Uganda relations.