Russia is performing a great return to the African continent, through the strengthening of its diplomatic and military presence and of its economic investments.
President Putin has even created a special unit dedicated to Africa in the Kremlin, and a Russia-Africa summit (the first of its kind) is planned in Sochi in mid-October. On that occasion, the master of the Kremlin aims to welcome 70 African Heads of States.
The preparation of the summit is entrusted to the diplomat Iouri Ouchakov, whose presence is noted on all of Moscow’s important diplomatic fronts (Iran, Yemen, Turkey, Trump, Europe, etc.). Alexandre Stonglev, special advisor to President Putin and himself President of the Roskangress Foundation, is also involved in the project. He is amongst other things the person in charge of Putin’s visits to the Davos forum. In France, he is very close to a former advisor to Nicolas Sarkozy: the former MP Jean-Pierre Thomas, who is well known for his close ties with the Russian business diplomacy.