Ruto Walks the Talk, to Skip Russia-Africa Summit

President William Ruto has decided not to attend the 2nd Russia-Africa summit scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg from Thursday.

Instead, he will be represented by the “organs of the African Union,” as Statehouse spokesman Hussein Mohammed announced.

The decision to skip the conference, which brings together heads of state from across the continent, is in line with an agreement reached by African leaders.

According to Mohammed, the African Heads of State and Government believe that the current partnership summits organized by external parties need to be reviewed to establish a more effective framework for African Union partnerships.

This decision reflects the collective stance of the continent’s leaders.

But not all are reading from the same script. President Yoweri Museveni and his Burundian counterpart Evariste Ndayishimiye are already in Russia for the summit.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will also be attending this summit.

Russia has confirmed that 49 out of 54 African countries will be in attendance at the summit. During the event, President Vladimir Putin will chair numerous bilateral meetings with leaders from African states, showcasing Russia’s commitment to engaging with the continent.