Usefulness of Russian language still blurry for African learners

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

In June 2001, Russkiy Mir Foundation was created by a decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin to restore Russian cultural image, promote Russian language and its literature abroad, and its activities (operations) are financed under a special state budget allocation approved by the State Duma (lower house of parliament) and the Federation Council.
Learning Russian language is hitting magnificent roadblocks among Africans. For these several years after Soviet’s collapse, Moscow has been stepping up efforts to strengthen Russian language studies and its culture across Africa. But there have been little tangible results largely due to low motivation towards the language, its usefulness is blurry compared to foreign languages including English language and now Chinese.
In fact, Africa’s potential is obvious to everyone. Russia hopes to normalize cultural relations but has been hampered multiple by challenges. The Kremlin leadership, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the NGOs including Russkiy Mir Foundation, created for supporting the language studies inside Africa, have to seriously prioritize various motivating factors such as broad all-year-round tourism, people-to-people exchanges, cultural linkages, and more educational collaborations. Trade ties, especially the small and medium scale private sectors (as opposed to state corporate commercial deals) and interactions are highly limited between the two regions.
Russia, a staunch advocate for multipolar but still stands far from being receptive, interactive and integrative with foreigners. As it appears, Russia’s irreconcilable cultural differences and colour discriminatory attitudes make the country a segregated society. It is noticeable that potential African learners simply see few opportunities for practicing the Russian language and hard in deepening cultural understanding and dispelling stereotypes, bolstering basis for bilateral cultural relations. Russia’s tourism destination spots are still not popular among the middle-class estimated at 350 million, that is double the population of Russia.
Most Africans prefer to study foreign languages to ensure smooth participation in interstate activities such as trade and in order to maintain relationship with people abroad. Foreign countries, for example Britain, the United States, European countries and now China are their traditional favorites. There are always interactive programmes and cultural activities throughout the year operated by foreign missions and NGOs.
Interpreted from different perspectives, Russia has not been a major economic giant in Africa compared to Western and European countries and China. Due to this historical truth, Africans have little interest in studying Russian language and its culture. The Russian language itself does not sound attractive in terms of its economic opportunity and therefore Africans prefer to study languages that readily offer opportunities. Russia appears quite removed from Africa’s development issues, it is only mentioned in limited areas like weapons and military equipment supplies to French-speaking West Africa. China is making huge contributions in the continent and this has made Africans see the need to understand the language in order to have better interaction with them.
More comparably, the research indicates a greater number of Chinese Confucius Institute, an equivalent of Russkiy Mir, in Africa. Nowadays, China is being viewed as a strong strategic partner in Africa given its (China’s) strong footprints in diverse economic sectors. China has more than 20 Confucius Centers, and a party school in Africa. Western and European, and China support civil society, youth programmes and women’s issues, – these are completely not on Russia’s radar.
Russian authorities are really struggling to find effective ways of marketing the country’s language abroad by establishing language centres, for instance in Morocco, Egypt, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa currently operating in Africa. Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Mali have declared Russian language as the second language, compulsorily to be studied in national schools and as oriented-strategy for consolidating cultural cooperation with Russia. It is also envisioned as overcoming social inequality and involvement of young in sustainable economic development in those African countries.
In June 2001, Russkiy Mir Foundation was created by a decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin to restore Russian cultural image, promote Russian language and its literature abroad, and its activities (operations) are financed under a special state budget allocation approved by the State Duma (lower house of parliament) and the Federation Council.
Chronicling reports on opening Russian language centres, a couple of years (2021 to 2023), show the Russia House, the latest non-government organization, has a large-scale educational project ‘Distant Russian in Africa’ which consists of free intensive Russian language courses and professional development seminars. Its co-organizers are the Institute of Russian Language and Culture (IRLAiK) of Moscow State University and the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Tanzania. The Russian as a foreign language started in Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Mauritius and Madagascar.
As Russkiy Mir reported, for teachers teaching Russian as a foreign language, Moscow State University usually holds training for educators from East African countries. It was also decided to hold a video conference in the field of tourism. But the point is that Russian authorities have to address the basic issue of running travel and exchange programmes for Russian learners, increasing number of foreign trips including for Russian language learning purposes to the Russian Federation.
It is worth to note that Russia and Africa should have more and more youth exchanges. Representatives of African countries, as part of the New Generation programme, travel to Russia to participate in short-term programmes designed for young representatives from political, public, scientific and business circles to get acquainted with the people, the city landscape and interesting spots in the Russian Federation.

Kestér Kenn Klomegâh is an Int’l Affairs Analyst.