A continent rich in natural resources, Africa has witnessed in recent years an increase in the number of coups d’état, as the military has taken power from civilian leaders in several countries in the Sahel region, central Africa and West Africa.
The last coup took place in Gabon, this Wednesday (30), when the military overthrew President Ali Bongo Ondimba, after the announcement of the results of the elections in which he was re-elected.
These coups have reshaped the geopolitical landscape of the African continent, where external actors have different strategic interests and agendas.
With the recent coups, France, a former colonial power with dominance over many African countries, sees its role and reputation diminish, while Russia and China take the opportunity to leverage their agendas and gain more space in the region.
The French “almost empire” in Africa
France has long maintained a close relationship with its former colonies in Africa, with economic, military and diplomatic support. In addition, France has also intervened militarily in several African countries to “protect its interests” and those of allies, such as in Mali, where it launched Operation Serval in 2013, with US support, to combat the threat of Islamic radicals.
The country currently chaired by Emmanuel Macron was also an important partner of the G5 Sahel, a regional security force that was made up of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.
However, France’s influence and legitimacy in Africa began to be challenged by a series of events that exposed its weaknesses and failures. In 2020, France faced a wave of anti-French protests in several African countries, which were triggered by President Macron’s comments on Islam: he claimed that the religion was “in crisis” worldwide and announced measures to combat “separatism”. Islamic” in France, with restrictions on homeschooling and greater supervision of religious schools.
In addition to these movements, many Africans began to accuse France of meddling too much in their internal affairs and supporting corrupt governments in order to exploit these countries’ resources.
In recent years, before Gabon (where the same family ruled the country for 55 years), three of its former colonies, Mali, Burkina Faso and now Niger, experienced military coups that ousted directly elected presidents. In all three cases, France condemned the coups and called for a return to constitutional order, but its appeals were largely ignored by the coup leaders and the population.
The three countries approached Russia, with the population of Niger even taking to the streets to celebrate the fall of Mohamed Bazoum, a president who had French support.
After the coup in Niger, the military leaders who took power also expelled the country’s French ambassador, while some protesters displayed anti-French and pro-Russian messages through the country’s streets. The French were also expelled from Burkina Faso and Mali, and coup leaders suspended their participation in the G5 Sahel and sought closer ties with the Russians.
In response to these moves, France just ended its military operations in countries affected by the coups and reorganized its military presence on the continent (there are still around 1,500 French troops in Niger and 400 in Gabon). The French have also suspended their financial aid to countries like Niger.
“If, as seems likely, hatred of France should intensify [na região]so there is every possibility of full evacuations, including of French soldiers, as the major French nations in sub-Saharan Africa finally complete the decolonization process,” said Nabila Ramdani, a journalist and researcher specializing in Anglo-French issues, in an article for The Guardian.
According to some analysts, there are several reasons why France is losing ground in Africa. One is that France’s military interventions have failed to address the underlying causes of instability and violence on the continent. Instead, they have often created more resentment and resistance among local populations, who perceive them as neo-colonial or self-serving.
Another reason is that economic assistance from France has failed to promote sustainable development and growth in Africa. Rather, it has often been linked to political conditions or commercial interests that benefit French companies or political elites.
There is also the diplomatic influence of France, which has failed to promote democratic governance and human rights in Africa. Instead, it has often been compromised by support for authoritarian or corrupt regimes that serve their strategic interests.
According to other experts, there are also external factors that explain why France is losing ground in Africa: one of them is that the demography and dynamics of Africa have changed significantly over the years.
They claim that Africa is now home to around 1.3 billion people, who are increasingly younger, urbanized and connected. These people have more diverse aspirations and expectations of their governments and partners than previous generations. They also have more access to information and alternative sources of influence than ever before.
Another factor pointed out is that geopolitics in Africa has become more complex and competitive over the years. Africa is now a stage for multiple actors offering different models and options for cooperation and development in relation to France. These actors include regional organizations such as the African Union (AU), emerging powers, as well as traditional rivals such as the United States, Russia and China.
“The most welcome outcome of all this would be for Niger and other African states following a similar path to choose self-government and a democratic future – but it is more likely that countries with even worse records in terms of corruption, human rights abuses and widespread mismanagement step in to fill the power vacuum,” Ramdani said.
The rise of Russia and China in Africa
While France is losing ground, Russia and China are expanding their presence and influence on the continent. Both countries have adopted different strategies in relation to Africa, but they share the converging objective of strengthening local leaderships in order to try to undermine the influence of the United States and Europe on the continent.
Russia has focused on providing military and security assistance to African countries, especially those facing conflict or sanctions. Moscow has sold weapons, trained soldiers and deployed mercenaries, such as those from the Wagner Group, in countries such as the Central African Republic, Libya, Sudan, Chad, Burkina Faso and now Niger.
Russia has also sought access to natural resources such as oil, diamonds and uranium in exchange for its support. In that exchange, the country of Vladimir Putin used its diplomatic influence to defend its African allies in the UN Security Council and other international forums.
China, for its part, has taken a more economic and infrastructure approach to Africa, investing heavily in projects such as roads, railways, ports and power plants across countries across the continent.
Beijing has also offered loans, grants and debt relief to African countries as part of what is known as the “New Silk Road”, a global strategy aimed at expanding Chinese influence across the continent, Asia and also Europe.
Xi Jinping’s regime has increased its commercial and cultural ties with Africans, becoming one of its biggest trading partners since 2009. Furthermore, the Chinese have also used their power to promote their “political model and values” among elites and society. African population.
In an interview with The Hindu website, Paul Nantulya, senior advisor at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, an academic institution of the US Department of Defense, said that “one in three major infrastructure projects in Africa is built by Chinese state-owned companies and one in five is funded by a policy bank [de desenvolvimento] Chinese. Russia, a major arms exporter to Africa, is also making inroads on the continent, including through mining projects awarded to the private paramilitary group Wagner.”
What are the impacts of Russian and Chinese participation in Africa?
The participation of Russia and China in Africa has raised concerns among Western countries due to its intentions and far-reaching implications for democracy, human rights and security on the continent.
Analysts have pointed out some negative impacts of this participation. According to them, these countries have exploited the fragility and vulnerability of certain African states, which increases the risk of violence and instability.
Furthermore, they note that Russia and China take advantage of weakness and corruption in African governments, which erodes the rule of law in many African nations.
There is also concern that Russia and China are compromising the environment and human rights of African communities.
Anna Borshchevskaya, from think tank Washington Institute, told The Hindu that “Russia’s mining projects [na África] reportedly resulted in high levels of toxic metal compounds, pollution of groundwater resources, soil and vegetation”.
The future of African geopolitics
Recent movements in Africa indicate that the continent is undergoing a profound geopolitical transformation that could shape its future. The decline of France’s “quasi-empire” in Africa is part of a broader trend of weakening Western influence on the continent. The rise of Russia and China’s presence in Africa is part of a larger pattern, revealing increased competition between global powers for resources and influence there.
The implications of these changes for Africa are uncertain and depend on how governments and local populations respond to them.
On the one hand, Africa could benefit from more opportunities and options for development and cooperation with different partners. On the other hand, it may face more challenges and risks to stability and security due to new external interference and possible internal conflicts.
#Africa #coups #Russia #China #gain #ground #France #loses #influence