On January 25, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion on the topic “Russia and South Africa: Is Africa closer than it seems?” Mikatekiso Kubayi, Researcher, Institute for Global Dialogue associated with UNISA; Research Fellow, Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation; Andrei Maslov, Director, Centre for African Studies, HSE University; Rasigan Maharajh, Chief Director of the Institute for Economic Research in Innovation at the Tswane Technical University (South Africa); Oleg Ozerov, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Head of the Secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum; Nathalia Zaiser,Chairman of the Board of the African Business Initiative Union, participated. The event was moderated by Oleg Barabanov, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club.