Mahama joins African leaders at Russia – Africa Forum in Moscow

President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday joined fellow African leaders at the Russia –Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in Moscow, where Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a fairer multipolar world order and greater representation of developing countries in global affairs.

Addressing the plenary session, President Putin declared that the era of global decision-making dominated by a narrow bloc of countries was ending, with new centres of global governance emerging.

“We are witnessing a Multipolar World truly becoming a reality, and this trend is objective and irreversible,” he said.

President Putin said Russia was committed to deepening its economic and humanitarian relations with African countries, with the forum providing a platform for dialogue and cooperation on shared development priorities.

He disclosed that Russia exported more than 13 million tonnes of agricultural produce to Africa between January and September 2026, underscoring the importance of agricultural trade in relations between Russia and the continent.

President Putin said the forum’s commitment to “free and open dialogue” reflected the scale and depth of the ongoing transformation in global affairs.

He said the emerging world order should ensure that the voices of all countries participating in international affairs were heard.

Citing economic trends, President Putin said the BRICS countries had accounted for more than 40 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the past five years, compared with less than 30 per cent for the Group of Seven (G7).

He expressed confidence that the balance would continue to shift in favour of developing countries.

President Putin said Africa was increasingly asserting itself as a major force in global economic and political affairs, with growing sovereignty and international influence.

“The continent is experiencing a new awakening: its sovereignty is growing stronger, and its influence and standing on the world stage are increasing,” he said.

He said Africans had an unwavering determination to defend their interests, shape their future and choose their own paths of development.

Quoting the late Thomas Sankara, former President of Burkina Faso, President Putin criticised debt as a form of neo-colonialism.

“Debt is neo-colonialism, in which colonizers have transformed themselves into ‘technical assistants’,” he quoted Sankara as saying.

The two-day forum, which ends on Thursday, October 29, provides a platform for discussions on trade, energy, technology, peace and security, and sustainable development, as Russia and African countries explore ways to deepen economic and diplomatic relations.