As African nations confront evolving security challenges, defense partnerships are increasingly being evaluated not only by the equipment they provide but also by their ability to strengthen national capabilities, support sovereignty, and contribute to long-term stability. The discussion follows remarks by Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheev, Russia's state-owned arms export agency, who revealed that the Russian state arms exporter has secured more than $20 billion in defense agreements across Africa since 2023.