(MENAFN) Russia is set to open its inaugural embassy in Moroni, the capital of the Comoros, before the end of this year, according to a government directive issued Saturday. The Comorian government had previously expressed support for the initiative, formally notifying Russia’s embassy in Madagascar in March of its approval for the new mission.

The official document states, “The proposal of the Russian Foreign Ministry, agreed upon with the relevant federal executive authorities and the Comorian side, to establish in 2025 a Russian Federation embassy in the Union of the Comoros (Moroni), is hereby approved.”

Diplomatic relations between Russia and the Comoros date back to 1976, but until now Moscow has not maintained a dedicated embassy there. Instead, the Russian ambassador to the Comoros has been accredited from the embassy in Madagascar, which has managed bilateral affairs for decades. The Comoros currently does not have an embassy in Moscow.

The move is part of Russia’s broader strategy to expand its diplomatic presence across Africa. In November, President Vladimir Putin reportedly discussed with Togo’s top official plans to reopen embassies in both countries in 2026, following closures in the 1990s. Russia has already reopened missions in Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea in 2024, with new embassies in South Sudan, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone planned, while Liberia and the Gambia are also on the near-term agenda.

In August, Anatoly Bashkin, head of Russia’s Africa Department, stated that the ministry aims to restore posts closed after the Soviet Union’s collapse and open new embassies across the continent. According to general reports citing the foreign ministry, Russia currently operates 43 diplomatic and consular missions in Africa.

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