HSE Presents an Analytical Handbook on Africa for African Leaders
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The HSE University Centre for African Studies has presented an English-language expert-analytical handbook titled ‘Africa 2025: Prospects and Challenges.’ For the first time, Russian experts have prepared a comprehensive work aimed at an African audience rather than Russian readers. The handbook incorporates a significant amount of new data and introduces new approaches for assessing development prospects. The presentation took place in Sochi on November 9, 2024, during the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum.
The English-language publication was prepared by a team of experts from the HSE Centre for African Studies, under the general editorship of the centre's director, Andrey Maslov. The book is primarily aimed at an African audience, including government officials, business and civil society representatives, scholars, and experts.
The presentation was moderated by Valentin Bianki, Leading Expert at the HSE Centre for African Studies.
The main objective of the publication is to offer readers the perspective of Russian experts on the key challenges faced by African countries and the opportunities arising from the growth of their economies. The book also provides an alternative view of the long-held perceptions and stereotypes about Africa.
‘We want this book to be used throughout Africa by key organisations and government bodies, and to be on the desks of those making important decisions. We plan to make this an annual publication and intend to translate ‘Africa 2025: Prospects and Challenges’ into French and possibly into Russian. I see this as a significant step towards establishing and shaping a channel for the exchange of information between Russia and Africa,’ noted Valentin Bianki.
The centre also plans to hold a series of discussions on the text with African experts in various African countries at the venues of leading international and expert-analytical organisations.
Deputy Director of the HSE Centre for African Studies, Vsevolod Sviridov, provided a detailed overview of the book’s structure and the work of its authors.
‘The main sections of the book cover topics that are relevant to any organisation operating in Africa. We discuss the transport system, macroeconomics, food sovereignty, energy, education, and more. During preparatory research, numerous studies were conducted, gaps in data were identified, and topics that had remained in the shadows of the global agenda were highlighted,’ he emphasised.
The text explores themes such as the macroeconomic status of African countries, their internal and external debt, the cost of borrowing, and the degree of trade diversification; key trends in agriculture and consumer habits; the connection between food sovereignty and population growth; the role of fertilisers and food reserve systems in addressing food crises; the state of electricity generation in African countries; the role of gas-powered generation; and opportunities presented to African nations by energy transition. It also covers major trends in education, the development of the creative economy, and the growing role of African business in the continent’s economy.
A recurring theme in the publication is ensuring the sovereignty of African countries in financial, food, energy, digital, cultural, and educational aspects.
‘We discuss deficits, imbalances, and opportunities and how to overcome these challenges. One of the key chapters focuses on food sovereignty. Here, we show that Africa can feed itself in basic categories, as it has the necessary land and capacities. The problem rather lies in how its industries are structured. Our research indicates that population growth does not lead to declining food situations, but rather improves them. We explore methods of enhancing the efficiency of food systems and analyse successful practices from African countries,’ Sviridov highlighted.
Moctar Seck, Chief-of-Section of the Technology, Innovation, Connectivity and Infrastructure Division at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, praised the team for their excellent work. ‘This publication shows us the issues that are crucial for Africa when you talk about food security, energy, digital sovereignty, independence, business, and commerce. These topics are extremely important for the continent’s development. This work offers a deep analysis of these subjects,’ he noted.
Tatenda Mavetera, Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal, and Courier Services of the Republic of Zimbabwe, also highlighted the importance of ‘Africa 2025: Prospects and Challenges’ and encouraged the audience to move beyond stereotypes. ‘Let’s be creative like the people of Africa,’ she advised.
Hassan Khannenje, Director of the HORN International Institute for Strategic Studies, emphasised the significance of the work on food security.
‘This is a very timely study, especially on food sovereignty, which is an extremely important issue. This chapter is significant because it discusses geopolitics, where, as we understand, there have been failures and shortcomings in food supply and understanding. How are you feeding the nation and where is that food coming from? Do you control food resources? Is there enough? Our countries are indeed very vulnerable in this regard. It is more than just food security; it is more than economic development; it is food sovereignty. We must manage water resources properly and avoid exploiting them because sustainable development of the food sector depends on it. We must ensure that people never suffer from shortages again,’ he urged.
HSE Vice Rector
‘The book marks an important milestone in the development of the HSE University’s Centre for African Studies—the centre’s entry into the African expertise market. ‘Africa 2025: Prospects and Challenges’ and the positive response from African officials and experts demonstrate that the centre’s work, its ideas, and proposals are already in demand in Africa and are competitive at the global level.’