Russia is moving to deepen its influence over Africa's peace and security agenda by seeking closer coordination with the continent's three elected members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), marking the latest step in Moscow's expanding diplomatic and security engagement across Africa.
The move was unveiled following high-level consultations between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf in Addis Ababa on Monday.
In a joint statement, both sides agreed on the importance of "close coordination" between Russia and Africa's A3 - the continent's three elected members of the UN Security Council - on matters relating to peace and security.
The A3 currently comprises Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia and Somalia, which together represent Africa's positions on the 15-member Security Council during the 2026–2027 term.
While the joint statement stopped short of committing the A3 to support Russian positions, the agreement signals Moscow's intention to institutionalise dialogue with the bloc that often articulates Africa's collective stance on conflicts before the Security Council.
