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Written by Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

Understandably, more than three decades after the Soviet collapse, Russia has few well-trained specialists and professionals with multipolar orientations to work seriously on its diverse policy objectives in Africa.

Simply put, the Russians have complained bitterly about the acute shortage of policy leaders with the necessary knowledge and experience who can augment efforts in directing, coordinating and monitoring purpose-based action plans and achieving impact on the scale expected in Africa.

With the rapid development of a multipolar world, the increasing competitiveness of influence and the need to strengthen cooperation between government and business, Russia should focus on its agenda and take appropriate strategies to implement the policy goals set in Africa. The Russians may now admit their current weaknesses. Complaints about insufficient technical staff in many reports can be interpreted as poor performance and a cover-up for the shortcomings of its policy in Africa.

On the other hand, in Russia there are many prestigious educational institutions that annually graduate thousands of candidates. Russian Diplomatic Academy, Institute of Oriental and African Studies of Moscow State University, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), Peoples’ Friendship Russian University, St. Petersburg State University, Institute of African Studies, etc. Let’s say Russian officials still see a shortage of professionals. In this case, it must be due to poor planning, poor vision, and weak coordination efforts between state government institutions and educational centers, as noted in the November 2021 policy report.

This report, titled – “Analytical Report of the Situation” – was prepared by 25 policy experts headed by Professor Sergei A. Karajanov, Dean and Academic Supervisor of the School of World Economics and International Relations at the Higher School of Economics of the National Research University (HSE University). ). Karaganov is also the Honorary Chairman of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.

The report was highly critical of Russia’s current policy towards Africa. It noted the inconsistency in policy implementation and further stressed the fact that there were few final results from the various efforts undertaken in engaging with African countries. “Apart from the lack of a general strategy for the continent, there is a lack of qualified personnel, and a lack of coordination between the various government and parastatal institutions working with Africa,” it says in part.

Last December, the Interfax news agency reported that the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education is preparing new educational programs for developing countries in the context of the emerging multipolar world. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia has trained graduates and professionals over the past three decades at its many institutes and universities in the Russian Federation.

The challenge is to change the system of international relations and refocus educational and scientific flows to the East and the South. We are aware that this juncture requires a large number of qualified professionals, so we are preparing a new educational and scientific program called Oriental and African Studies, Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov said during the government hour in the Federation Council.

“We need specialists who are not only fluent in the languages ​​of the regions and have a deep knowledge of their history and culture but who are also adept in economic and geopolitical affairs,” he said in the Federation Council, the upper house of Parliament.

The Russian International Affairs Council, a non-governmental organization and policy think tank, also published an opinion piece by Kirill Babayev, director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and professor at the Financial University. He made an excellent analysis of relations between Russia and Africa.

The article sheds light on future perspectives and successes in building political dialogues over the past years. On the other hand, it presents some existing obstacles and weaknesses to the authorities for serious consideration.

He wrote that Russia’s return to Africa had been discussed in the media and at different levels of power for two decades. That African elites, especially those who studied in Soviet institutes and universities, still have memories of the struggle for the political freedom of Africa. During the Soviet era, at the height of the fight against Western colonialism, there were economic performances from the Soviet era.

However, all these cards are a matter of the past, while at present, it has been difficult for Russia to offer Africa anything of value that could compete with large-scale Western investment or Chinese infrastructure projects, he wrote in his article.

Today, the situation has changed radically, in his estimation. He referred to the challenges that Russia faces, one of which is the “massive shortage of personnel for successful work in Africa,” and further suggested the need to form a distinguished group of experienced professionals and specialists to work on practical, consistent and effective policy challenges as well as geopolitical tasks with African countries.

In an insightful, long-term conversation in April 2022, Oleg Yastrebov, the newly appointed rector of the Russian Friendship University, told me that his university was founded in 1960; It primarily provided higher education to third world students during the days of the Soviet Union. Many students, especially from developing countries, still come to this popular university from Latin America, Asia and Africa. It is the most multidisciplinary university in Russia, which has the largest number of foreign students and offers various academic disciplines.

Without emptying the words, youth is the future. Entire development and technological advancement depends on them – the present young generation is learning to become professional leaders in various fields and is equipped with the necessary skills that help them to gain knowledge of communication internationally.

“We are the most international, most interdisciplinary, friendliest university in Russia. It has the strongest language school. By studying languages, students receive an additional diploma as a translator. A student can choose from 12 foreign languages ​​to study: European, Eastern or Russian as a foreign language.

He argued unreservedly that the faculty and academic teams provide the necessary knowledge and cutting-edge skills to aspiring young leaders from 160 countries, and this makes the university a first class among many other universities in the Russian Federation. Countries include those in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

The Institute of African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences was established in 1959. Since then, it has undergone many changes and has carried out massive scientific research on Africa. It has nearly a hundred employees including well-experienced researchers, academic colleagues, and specialists in various African issues and trends.

Professor Dmitry Bondarenko, Deputy Director of the Institute of African Studies (IAS), told me during the discussions, before the first summit between Russia and Africa, namely the 60th anniversary of the IAS, that state institutions and commercial companies are seeking consulting services to the Institute more and more often nowadays . In particular, the institute played an important role in preparing for the first Russian-African Summit, which took place in October 2019.

The situation has changed over the past few years. Today, the country recognizes the importance of Africa for Russia in various aspects, including political and economic, and the Russian Foreign Ministry and other state institutions dealing with Russian-African relations in various fields ask us for our expert advice on various points, said Bondarenko.

According to him, the situation is now much better for African studies than it was for a long time before. In particular, today there are more opportunities to do fieldwork in Africa. Russian Africans and their work are becoming better known in the global African community. A lot of junior researchers join the academy nowadays. In assessing, African Studies in Russia is on the right track to expand international cooperation with Africans all over the world.

Unlike the United States and Europe, Russia has poor relations with trained African professionals and African specialists who graduated from Soviet and Russian educational institutions. Undoubtedly, some of them can serve as bridges between Russia and Africa. Why not? At the US-Africa Leaders Summit, there was a clear indication of engaging African professionals throughout the structure in the process of restoring relations and taking them to the next stage. This is a strong, irreversible positive step.

Are relations between Russia and Africa really based on the long-standing traditions of friendship and solidarity established by the Soviet Union? Are relations strengthened within the framework agreed upon between them to continue coordinating positions on the platforms? Why are the Russians complaining? Have they already spoiled the joint declaration adopted, after the first summit, on the main areas of Russian-African cooperation, or will it only be considered as an important historical document in the Vladimir Lenin State Archives Library?

The accelerated development of human resource potential is closely related to economic development. The twenty-first century has ushered in the emergence of a knowledge economy, and Russia really needs people who will be able to make vital contributions to meeting the social and economic challenges facing Africa. Of course, the USSR made an invaluable contribution to the development of the scientific and educational potential of a number of African countries.

Obviously, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has reminded many times that Africa is Russia’s priority, especially during this emerging polycentric democratic world order. There should have been a well-coordinated effort towards working with graduates trained in Russian institutions and an integrated way of working closely with African specialists in practically opening a new page in the history of Russia’s relations with Africa.

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