Russia's New Presence in Africa

By Henry Srebrnik, [Moncton, NB] Times & Transcript

Russia is seeking to bolster its presence across Africa by building relations with existing rulers, and political, military and business figures.

On May 28, the Kremlin announced that Sochi will host the Russia-Africa Summit, co-chaired by Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who also currently heads the 55-member African Union.

To be held Oct. 22-24, this is the first event of this kind in the history of Russian-African relations, with the heads of all states on the African continent invited, as well as leaders of major sub-regional associations and organisations. Roughly 3,000 African businesspersons are expected to attend this event.

Putin told them that Russia “renders comprehensive support to our African partners’ efforts in settling local conflicts and crises, countering terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking and cross-border crime, as well as other challenges and threats to regional and global security.”

During the summit, special attention will be paid to the current state and prospects of Russia’s relations with African countries and to the expansion of political, economic, technical and cultural cooperation.

During the cold war, the Soviet Union supported liberation movements in the developing world and backed insurgent communist guerrillas fighting in Angola, Algeria and what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

But when the USSR collapsed Moscow’s influence faded. In the 1990s, a weakened Russian Federation was too preoccupied with its own economic and political troubles to pose much of a geopolitical challenge.

Putin showed little interest in Africa in the 2000s. But western sanctions imposed in 2014 over the annexation of Crimea have changed that, and his recent interest in Africa is in large part pragmatic.

Moscow is now keen to find new markets and to strike new partnerships, and Africa provides inviting opportunities. Russian interests range from gold in Sudan and bauxite in Guinea, to phosphates and mineral resources in Mauritania, to diamonds in the DRC.

Securing valuable votes on the UN Security Council and worrying western nations are two other reasons for the Russian push in Africa.

In January, Madagascar inaugurated President Andry Rajoelina, who defeated 35 rivals in two rounds of voting. According to a report by the BBC Russian Service, he may have received campaign financing from Russia. The Russians also set up a French-language news service.

Russia is also getting involved militarily on the continent. So far it has also signed military cooperation deals with some 20 African states. Russian troops and contractors have also been on assignments in Egypt, Libya and Sudan.

It has a peacekeeping mission in the troubled Central African Republic, which allows Moscow to expand across the continent, while Russian companies strike lucrative mineral deals.

Russia has donated weapons to bolster the country’s fight against militia groups after receiving an exemption from a United Nations arms embargo.

On May 24, Russia said it was sending military specialists to the DRC to service Russian-made military hardware and equipment there. The military deal was signed after talks between Putin and his Congolese counterpart Denis Sassou Nguesso in the Kremlin.

Russia’s policy bluntly states its plans for Africa. The goal is to shore up Moscow’s power and, to borrow a phrase, “make Russia great again.”