Ruto urges Russia to invest in African industries at Moscow summit
President William Ruto told the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow on Thursday that Africa must stop exporting raw materials and importing finished goods. He asked Russia to invest in fertiliser plants, mineral processing, energy and technology transfer.
President William Ruto has urged Russia to invest in African industries, technology transfer and skills development, Capital FM reported via AllAfrica. He spoke on Thursday at the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow. Ruto said Africa must build manufacturing capacity, add value to its natural resources and create jobs. He named agriculture as an immediate area for cooperation. He called for investment in affordable fertilisers, local fertiliser manufacturing, mechanisation, irrigation technology, research and agro-processing. Africa needs to make its own farm inputs and rely less on imports, he said. He also listed energy infrastructure, engineering, mineral processing and manufacturing as areas for partnership. "A more industrialized, productive, and prosperous Africa is not a threat to anyone. It is an opportunity for the entire world," Ruto said. He pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area, a market of 1.4 billion people, as a base for regional value chains. He also sought cooperation in education, artificial intelligence, pharmaceutical research and local vaccine manufacturing. Ruto said Kenya is showing that industrialisation can go hand in hand with climate responsibility. He cited geothermal power, renewable energy and green manufacturing. Ahead of COP31, he called…
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