Ivory Coast sends minister to Russia-Africa summit
Minister Nialé Kaba led Ivory Coast's delegation to the October 28-29, 2026, Moscow summit.
Ivory Coast's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Nialé Kaba, represented the nation at the third Russia-Africa summit in Moscow on October 28 and 29, 2026. President Alassane Ouattara had chosen to speak at the WTO forum in Geneva on October 29, the same day Kaba arrived in Moscow on October 27. Russia's President Vladimir Putin hosted 48 African delegations at the summit.
Kaba was welcomed at Domodedovo Airport by Russian foreign ministry officials and the Russian ambassador to Abidjan, Alexey Saltykov. She also met with members of the Ivorian community in Moscow at her hotel. Bilateral exchanges between Ivory Coast and Russia reached 273.4 billion CFA francs in 2025, with Russia seeking to increase sales of grain and fertilizers to Africa.
Putin addressed "unprecedented Western pressure" on African nations and pledged to expand Russian agricultural exports, stating 13 million tonnes had been sent to Africa in 2026. The summit also planned to sign 33 documents, including economic cooperation agreements, and discussed producing Russian medicines and vaccines locally. Amnesty International raised concerns about the forced recruitment of Africans for combat in Ukraine.
Why it mattersIvory Coast maintained diplomatic ties with Russia while its president focused on trade discussions in Geneva.