Russia's influence in Africa wanes as summit attendance drops

Vladimir Putin hosted 22 African leaders at the third Russia-Africa summit in Moscow, but his influence across the continent appears to be waning. Attendance fell far short of the 43 leaders who attended the first summit in 2019. Russia's economic appeal remains limited, with bilateral trade of $27 billion last year, a fraction of China's $348 billion or the EU's $395 billion in African trade. Moscow's military presence through the Africa Corps has faced recent setbacks despite supporting juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The war in Ukraine has undermined Putin's outreach, disrupting grain shipments and sparking outrage over Russia's recruitment of over 3,000 Africans to fight. Several African nations, including Kenya, Ghana, and Botswana, have condemned or blocked these recruitment efforts.