Sudan’s national television broadcaster has signed a memorandum of understanding with Russia Today (RT), establishing a framework for cooperation in news and programme exchanges, alongside the sharing of technical and editorial expertise.
The agreement was signed in Moscow on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, during the Russia-Africa Media Forum, organised by RT and held from 26 to 29 October. The memorandum outlines cooperation in the exchange of news material and television programmes, as well as opportunities to share professional knowledge and experience between the two broadcasters.
The agreement comes as Sudan’s public broadcasting infrastructure continues to face significant challenges following more than three years of conflict. Damage to infrastructure, operational disruption and weakened international partnerships have placed additional pressure on the national broadcaster’s ability to maintain services and access external programming and technical support.
Against this backdrop, cooperation covering programme supply, editorial expertise and technical knowledge could provide practical support for Sudanese television as it seeks to sustain and rebuild its broadcasting capabilities. The memorandum also creates an institutional channel for closer engagement between the two media organisations.
However, the agreement should not be interpreted as a distribution or carriage deal. The memorandum establishes a framework for cooperation and does not, on the information available, confirm that RT channels will be carried on Sudanese television platforms or that Sudanese national television services will gain distribution through RT.
The partnership also reflects Russia’s wider efforts to expand media engagement across Africa. Earlier in the week, international news agency and radio broadcaster Sputnik announced the opening of two multifunctional editorial centres in Tanzania and South Africa. While the Sudanese memorandum involves a different Russian media organisation, both developments point to growing efforts by Russian state-backed media outlets to strengthen their institutional and operational relationships with African media organisations.
For Sudan’s national broadcaster, the immediate significance lies in the potential access to content and professional support at a time when the country’s media sector continues to operate under exceptional constraints. The extent to which the memorandum translates into sustained programme exchanges, training or technical collaboration will depend on its implementation.
