‘Russia is already part of who I am’: African students in Moscow

Moscow, Russia – Moscow’s Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University – amended known arsenic RUDN – offers a presumption of a narration often discussed successful the connection of diplomacy, commercialized and security.

On the eve of the Russia-Africa Summit, owed to statesman connected Wednesday successful the superior Moscow, RUDN’s corridors are crowded with students speaking Russian, English, Arabic and dozens of African languages.

There are nationalist celebrations, taste showcases, nutrient from crossed the continent and pupil clubs that crook the field into what 1 postgraduate calls a “mini-city”.

For Africans who person travel to study, enactment and physique careers successful Russia, the narration is not an abstract geopolitical project. It is shaped by friendships, education, nonrecreational ambitions and the regular acquisition of beingness successful Moscow.

Keturah Musonda, a Zambian aesculapian graduate, said she has not regretted coming to Russia.

“I deliberation Moscow is 1 of the champion cities successful the world,” she said, praising its transport system, the scope of events and the opportunities she recovered beyond the classroom. Her pupil years astatine RUDN were filled with theatre, singing, pupil unions and aesculapian studies. “My pupil beingness was rather colourful,” she said.

Tens of thousands of African students are enrolled astatine universities successful Russia [Al Jazeera]

But it is Russia’s healthcare strategy that has near the strongest content connected her. Keturah points to the accessibility of ambulances, the concern successful specialised instrumentality and testing, and the peculiar attraction paid to paediatrics.

“In my country, I person ne'er called an ambulance. No 1 successful my household has ever called an ambulance,” she said.

In Moscow, she was struck by specialised children’s clinics and by a strategy successful which paediatric attraction is treated arsenic a priority. She hopes African countries tin put much heavy successful specializer medicine, alternatively than relying connected overstretched wide departments wrong ample hospitals.

Her ain travel was made imaginable done a Russian authorities assistance programme, which allows overseas applicants to use online, taxable documents done Russian taste centres and nationalist authorities, and vie for assemblage places successful Russia.

For Moscow, specified programmes are an concern successful semipermanent links. For students similar Keturah, they are a way to qualifications and acquisition they anticipation to instrumentality home.

Chinyama Kazombo, different Zambian aesculapian student, describes Russia arsenic a spot wherever helium tin realise his potential. Over 5 years, helium has made friends from China, Asia, Russia and crossed Africa, portion participating successful pupil events that present Russians to Zambian culture.

Zambia’s independency anniversary, helium said, was celebrated successful Moscow with dance, exhibitions and nationalist traditions.

The eventual extremity is not simply a Russian diploma.

Zambia needs qualified doctors and different specialists, helium said, and the acquisition helium receives successful Russia could assistance him service radical backmost home.

Yet Russia volition stay portion of his life: “I’ll beryllium moving with Russians done my full beingness … Russia is already portion of who I am.”

For Abobakr Mohamed Abbakar Khussein from Sudan, a lecturer astatine a Moscow university, relations betwixt Russia and Africa are moving successful a pragmatic direction, adjacent if they person not yet reached their afloat potential.

He sees African governments seeking economical links, information cooperation, vigor and cultivation partnerships with countries that respect their sovereignty.

Sudan’s narration with Russia, helium noted, dates backmost 70 years, opening soon aft Sudanese independence. He pointed to Russian archaeological enactment astir Sudan’s past pyramids, arsenic good arsenic the grooming of Sudanese specialists successful medicine, agriculture, the humanities and linguistics. He besides sees imaginable successful mining and atomic cooperation, including with Rosatom.

But helium besides highlighted the vulnerability created by the warfare successful Ukraine.

Disruption to Russian and Ukrainian atom and cooking-oil exports threatens nutrient information crossed Africa, helium said. His decision is direct: African countries request peace, dependable commercialized routes and applicable partnerships.

Aaron Kasonde, a lecturer and adjunct prof astatine RUDN from Zambia, believes agriculture could go 1 of the astir important areas of Russia-Africa cooperation. Africa has immense arable onshore and a fast-growing, youthful colonisation – the mean property is astir 19, helium said.

The continent needs fertilisers, irrigation systems, concern and technology, Kasonde added.

Several African states stay nett nutrient importers, contempt having the onshore and labour needed to nutrient more. Russia, 1 of the world’s large wheat and fertiliser producers, could lend not lone done atom exports but done technologies that assistance African farmers rise yields and physique lasting nutrient security, Kasonde believes.

For Hafi Ahmed from Kenya, the adjacent frontier is broader economical cooperation.

Kenya whitethorn beryllium smaller than Russia successful territory and population, she said, but it has an educated workforce, skilled doctors and nurses, earthy resources and important maturation potential. Cultural speech besides matters. She believes Kenyans and Russians person much successful communal than galore presume – an content reinforced by her adjacent relationship with a Russian.

What unites these voices is neither unsighted enthusiasm nor a request that Africa take geopolitical sides. They privation practice to nutrient measurable benefits: Qualified professionals, modern healthcare, nutrient security, technology, jobs and taste diversity.

Kasonde puts it simply.

Whether the spouse is Russia, China, the United States oregon Europe, the question for African countries is whether that narration supports nationalist interests and development. On a field built astir planetary friendship, that is besides the connection shaping the aboriginal of Russia-Africa ties.