African and Russian Students Adopt Landmark Declaration at Russia–Africa Raw Materials Dialogue

Students from Africa and Russia have jointly adopted a landmark declaration calling for stronger cooperation in science, education, and cultural exchange, at the close of the Russia–Africa Raw Materials Dialogue held at the Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University.

The declaration – titled “The Student Declaration on Cooperation in Science, Education, Culture and Mutual Respect” – was read and endorsed during a roundtable on “Training the Next Generation of Engineers – The View of Students from Russia and Africa,” organised by the Consortium of Russian Universities “NEDRA” and the All-Africa Students Union (AASU) with the support of the UNESCO International Competence Centre for Mining Engineering Education, as part of the 2025 Russia-Africa Raw Materials Dialogue.

In what participants described as a historic moment for student diplomacy, the declaration united the voices of young people from both continents around a shared vision for equitable education, inclusive innovation, and global solidarity.

It affirms the determination of African and Russian students to “promote friendship, mutual understanding, and cooperation in education, science, and culture, while rejecting racism, intolerance, and all forms of discrimination.”

The declaration outlines four broad areas of collaboration:

• Education and Scientific Cooperation, with a focus on student mobility, joint research, and multilingual education;
• Cultural Exchange, through festivals, exhibitions, and creative projects;
• Information Cooperation, to amplify youth-led communication and digital collaboration; and
• Advocacy Against Discrimination, reaffirming the principles of equality and respect for diversity.

The initiative was backed by several institutions including the NEDRA Consortium, UNESCO International Competence Centre for Mining Engineering Education, the Association of African Universities (AAU), and the Consortium of Public Professional Technical Universities of Africa (Subsoil of Africa).

The adoption of the declaration followed two days of dialogue on engineering education, research, and industrial partnerships between Africa and Russia – during which AASU co-moderated discussions, presented key interventions, and signed a new cooperation agreement with NEDRA to facilitate academic exchanges and joint training programmes.

Delegates described the declaration as a living framework for student-led collaboration – one that seeks to connect universities, researchers, and youth organisations across continents in pursuit of knowledge and innovation.

The full Student Declaration on Cooperation in Science, Education, Culture and Mutual Respect is available for download here.