Russia emphasized that the opening of new Sputnik centers in Africa will expand opportunities for using clean and verified information in the region. The international news agency and radio station 'Sputnik' has launched two new editorial centers in Johannesburg (South Africa) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).
During the opening ceremony on October 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed the event via video message. He noted that establishing regional offices in Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg will allow the African audience to receive information that is not distorted and is free from ideological filters.
Lavrov expressed gratitude to the governments of Tanzania and South Africa for their support. He also highlighted the symbolic significance of opening these centers ahead of the third 'Russia-Africa' summit, which will take place in Moscow on October 28–29.
South African Vice President Paul Mashatile noted that expanding Sputnik's activities in Africa will contribute to ensuring diversity of opinions in the region and strengthening cooperation between states. Dmitry Kiselev, director of the media group 'Russia Today', called the opportunity to work directly in African countries a sign of mutual trust. According to him, this strengthens the informational sovereignty of both Africa and Russia.
Dozens of local journalists are working at the new centers, preparing news materials, analysis, and podcasts in English and Swahili. The content is distributed through radio stations with a combined audience of over 100 million listeners across Africa. It is worth noting that Sputnik Africa began its operations in 2022 and currently operates in five languages, including Swahili, Amharic, and Oromo. Overall, Sputnik disseminates information in more than 30 languages worldwide and has 26 multifunctional centers.