Russian exports of information technology (IT) services to African countries amounted to $8.1 million in January-September 2022, Deputy Minister for Digital Development Dmitry Oguryayev has revealed.

“Africa remains our key partner,” he stated at the Russia-Africa IT forum on Thursday, noting that imports stood at $2.7 million during that period.

According to Oguryayev, the ministry sees great potential in terms of Russia-Africa trade turnover, thanks to growing cooperation.

“I am confident that digital transformation is important to Africa,” the deputy minister stressed.

Russia is ready to share technologies for implementing artificial intelligence (AI) with African countries, in terms of implementing both experimental legal regimes and best-business cases, according to another forum speaker, Andrey Filippov.

The Deputy Director for International Cooperation at the ‘Digital Economy’ organization, which acts as a platform between Russian businesses, technology companies and state bodies, told the event’s participants: “We would happily share the emerging technologies, the results that they produce when implemented, and everything related to this.”

The International IT Forum ‘Russia-Africa: digital technologies as a driver of state development and international cooperation’ was held in Moscow this week ahead of the Russia-Africa 2023 Summit, which is to take place in St. Petersburg in July. Participants in the forum discussed digitalization of public administration, economy, education and healthcare, among other issues.