Innovations as the Cornerstone of a New Stage in Russia-Africa Cooperation Discussed in Addis Ababa
The panel session "Innovations for the Future: Challenges and Solutions," organized by the Council on International Economic Activities of the World Peoples Assembly in partnership with the African Union, took place on July 30, 2026, at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) headquarters in Addis Ababa, as part of the World Public Summit: Africa.
The discussion was moderated by Alexander Ageev, Deputy Secretary-General of the World Peoples Assembly, Chairman of the Assembly's Expert Council, and Director General of the International Research Institute for Management Problems. Opening the session, he expressed confidence in the urgent need to discuss innovation issues specifically on the African continent:
- The discussion will be not only substantive but also truly practical – with a focus on solutions that can be implemented today.
The panel session brought together representatives of government agencies, business, academia, and international organizations from Russia, Ethiopia, Zambia, Nigeria, Cameroon, and other countries. Participants discussed promising areas of Russian-African cooperation in technology, investment, and the agro-industrial complex, paying special attention to practical mechanisms for implementing joint projects.
During the discussion, it was noted that contemporary global challenges – ensuring food security, limited access to technologies, shifts in global supply chains, climate change, and the need for sustainable development – require the formation of new models of international partnership based on innovation, mutual trust, and joint investment.
Particular interest was generated by the report of Chisala Bwalya, Director of Research and Development at the Zambia Research and Development Centre (Zambia), on the topic "Creating Joint Technology Hubs: From Pilot Projects to Sustainable Innovation Ecosystems."
The speaker emphasized:
- The establishment of cross-border technology centers will make it possible to combine the scientific potential, entrepreneurial initiatives, and investment resources of Russia and African countries, ensuring the sustainable development of innovative projects and accelerating technology transfer.
A separate segment of the discussion was devoted to innovation financing. Mabvuto Tembo Chipata, Managing Director of Kandende Safaris (Zambia), presented a report on "Investment, Venture Capital, and the Innovation Ecosystem," in which he examined modern models for attracting investment, developing venture capital, and creating a favorable environment for joint technological initiatives. In the speaker's view, "effective interaction between business, the state, and financial institutions is a key condition for building sustainable innovation ecosystems on the African continent."
During the discussion, Zekarias Assefa, Secretary-General of the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, spoke about priority areas of cooperation most in demand by Ethiopian businesses and the conditions necessary to increase the number of joint projects. Yaroslav Tarasyuk, Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in Ethiopia, presented promising avenues for promoting Russian technologies in African markets and identified the sectors with the greatest potential for developing partnerships.
Engedaye Eshete, President of IGAD Women in Business, emphasized the role of women's entrepreneurship and inclusive business in shaping the innovation economy of East Africa:
- Today, women's entrepreneurship in East Africa is one of the key factors shaping the region's new economy. When women gain access to business, finance, technology, and partnerships, it is not just a specific community that benefits – the entire system benefits, becoming more sustainable, flexible, and truly innovative.
Marlise Njangha, Editor‑in‑Chief of Valeurs Ajoutées magazine and head of the Afrique Innovate initiative, highlighted the importance of trust, international partnership, and effective communication between the state, business, and investors for the development of the innovation ecosystem.
Ilya Shakalov, a deputy of the Legislative Assembly of Krasnodar Krai, noted the importance of training qualified personnel and developing educational projects as the foundation of the future economy. As part of regular online meetings with representatives of Russian agribusiness and the financial sector, the leadership of Krasnodar Krai discussed new agricultural technologies, digital solutions, local production start-ups, the use of biotechnologies, and ways to implement innovations more quickly into practical work. The approaches developed could help not only strengthen Russia's food security but also deepen cooperation with African countries.
Participants in the panel session also discussed:
· introducing innovations into the agro-industrial sector,
· developing technologies to enhance food security,
· improving the legal and regulatory framework for international technological cooperation,
· and the impact of the media on promoting innovative projects and attracting investment.
Based on the outcomes of the session, participants confirmed the high potential of Russian-African cooperation in the field of innovation and expressed their readiness to develop joint projects in technology, education, investment, and sustainable development. It was noted that building long‑term partnerships, exchanging experience, and developing innovation infrastructure could become an important factor in strengthening economic ties between Russia and African countries, as well as contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The panel session became one of the key platforms of the business program of the World Public Summit: Africa, reaffirming the relevance of international dialogue on innovative development and the formation of new models of cooperation in the interests of a shared future.
Additional information is available on the official websites of the World Public Summits and the World Peoples Assembly.