As the Russia-Africa Summit prepares to open in Moscow on Wednesday, the corridors of Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University, known as RUDN, offer a different view of a relationship usually framed through diplomacy, trade and security. Students there speak Russian, English, Arabic and dozens of African languages, and campus life includes national celebrations, cultural showcases, African food and student clubs. One graduate calls the campus a "mini-city".
For Africans who study, work and build careers in Russia, the connection is less an abstract geopolitical project than a matter of friendships, education, professional ambitions and daily life in the capital.
Keturah Musonda, a Zambian medical graduate, said she does not regret coming to Russia. "I think Moscow is one of the best cities in the world," she said, citing its transport system, its range of events and opportunities beyond the classroom. Her years at RUDN combined medical studies with theatre, singing and student unions. "My student life was quite colourful," she said.
Russia's healthcare system made the deepest impression on her. She pointed to easy access to ambulances, investment in specialised equipment and testing, and a strong focus on paediatrics. "In my country, I have never called an ambulance. No one in my family has ever called an ambulance," she said. She hopes African countries will invest more in specialist medicine instead of relying on overstretched general departments in large hospitals. Her studies were made possible by a Russian government scholarship programme, which lets foreign applicants apply online, submit documents through Russian cultural centres and national authorities, and compete for university places.
Chinyama Kazombo, another Zambian medical student, described Russia as a place where he can realise his potential. Over five years he has made friends from China, other parts of Asia, Russia and Africa, and has taken part in events introducing Russians to Zambian culture, including a celebration of Zambia's independence anniversary with dance, exhibitions and national traditions. His aim goes beyond a Russian diploma: Zambia needs qualified doctors and specialists, he said, and he hopes to serve people at home. Still, he expects Russia to stay in his life. "I'll be working with Russians through my entire life .. Russia is already part of who I am."
Abobakr Mohamed Abbakar Khussein, a Sudanese lecturer at a Moscow university, sees Russia-Africa relations moving in a pragmatic direction, though not yet at full potential. He said African governments want economic links, security cooperation, and energy and agricultural partnerships with countries that respect their sovereignty. He noted that Sudan's ties with Russia go back 70 years, to shortly after Sudanese independence, and cited Russian archaeological work around Sudan's ancient pyramids and the training of Sudanese specialists in several fields. He also sees potential in mining and nuclear cooperation, including with Rosatom. At the same time, he warned that the war in Ukraine has disrupted Russian and Ukrainian grain and cooking-oil exports, threatening food security across Africa. African countries, he said, need peace, dependable trade routes and practical partnerships.
Aaron Kasonde, a Zambian lecturer and assistant professor at RUDN, believes agriculture could become a central area of cooperation. Africa has vast arable land and a young, fast-growing population, with an average age of about 19, he said. The continent needs fertilisers, irrigation systems, investment and technology. Several African states remain net food importers despite having the land and labour to produce more, and Kasonde argues that Russia, a major wheat and fertiliser producer, could help through technologies that raise yields as well as through grain exports.
Hafi Ahmed from Kenya said the next frontier is broader economic cooperation. Kenya is smaller than Russia in territory and population, she said, but has an educated workforce, skilled doctors and nurses, natural resources and strong growth potential. She also stressed cultural exchange and believes Kenyans and Russians have more in common than many assume, an impression reinforced by her close friendship with a Russian.
The voices share neither blind enthusiasm nor a demand that Africa pick geopolitical sides. They want cooperation to deliver measurable benefits: qualified professionals, modern healthcare, food security, technology, jobs and cultural diversity. Kasonde's view is that, whether the partner is Russia, China, the United States or Europe, the question for African countries is whether the relationship serves national interests and development.
