Russia eyes Africa as major coal export market

The continent could become one of the top three destinations for the resources, a Russian Energy Ministry official has said

Africa has the potential to become a major market for Russian coal exports and could rank third after China and India in terms of supply volumes, Russian Deputy Energy Minister Dmitry Islamov has said in an interview with TASS.

The minister noted that Africa’s population is expected to exceed 1 billion in the coming decades, positioning the continent as a major consumer of energy in the long term. According to Islamov, China is currently the leading buyer of Russian coal, with Moscow planning to increase its share of the Chinese market from 25% to 33% in the future. He said China is primarily a destination for thermal coal, which is used in power generation, while India serves as a key buyer of coking coal, a vital component in steel production.

“We need all directions – east, northwest and south,” Islamov said, adding that “the third region in terms of potential is Africa, where more than 1 billion people will live in the coming decades.” 

The comments come after Russian President Vladimir Putin approved new measures in May to support the coal industry. The government’s plan includes financial recovery for coal enterprises and reduced transportation costs, business daily Kommersant reported.

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Russia has strengthened its energy cooperation with several African countries in recent years. At the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, Putin announced that more than 30 energy projects with a combined capacity of approximately 3.7 gigawatts were ongoing across the continent. The initiatives, according to the president, span oil and gas field development in countries including Algeria, Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Republic of the Congo. Russian companies have also explored energy partnerships in South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe, particularly in coal logistics, power infrastructure, and industrial development.

Last week, Rosatom and Mali signed an agreement to expand cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, just days after the Russian state nuclear corporation concluded a similar deal with Burkina Faso. The agreements cover infrastructure development, joint projects in healthcare and agriculture, and the training of specialists from both Sahel states.

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Rosatom is also building Egypt’s first nuclear power plant at El Dabaa, a flagship energy project launched in 2017 and jointly financed by Moscow and Cairo, with Russia set to supply nuclear fuel throughout the plant’s operational life.