Whether they are Agents of Russia in Africa or whether they have studied in Russia or in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) or whether they are simply hostile to France, the United States or the West in general, the pro-Russians or pro-Putin constitute a kind of nebula in movement Africa. A nebula whose motivations and interests are just as diverse as the groups that make it up. But their actions are visible and manifest in a number of countries, particularly in French-speaking Africa where the terrain lends itself well to a certain populism which we should nevertheless be wary of.
With the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Africa has known in record time an impressive number of geopolitical specialists in social medias. And everyone has his own method and his discourse on current events. But it is especially in the former colonies of France where Russia is regaining its footing and where the mercenaries of the Wagner group are present that this phenomenon is most remarkable. Because it is quite different in other African countries, like English-speaking, Portuguese-speaking and Arab countries.
In addition to the leaders of African states whose positions at the UN on the invasion of Ukraine have nothing to do with those of their populations, the arguments of the pro-Putin, not to say pro-Russian contain paradoxes and limits to convince a good section of the citizens of French-speaking African countries.
1 – About the invasion of Ukraine by Russia
It cannot be said that there is a majority of Africans who approve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Even if no poll has been done on this subject, it goes without saying that most Africans, including even in French-speaking Africa where President Vladimir Putin enjoys some support, it is considered that it is well of an invasion. Therefore, this is an unjust war waged by the master of the Kremlin in Kyiv. None of the pretexts alleged by Moscow to attack Ukraine are defensible. Except for the pro-Putin Africans whose only motivation for support is only visceral hatred towards the West because of its colonial past in Africa.
But what they pretend to ignore or actually ignore is that the main motive for Russia's invasion of Ukraine is inherent in Russia's colonial past in Ukraine. Russia being purely and simply in the eyes of the Ukrainians what the Africans who reproach the West in Africa, that is to say a former colonial power.
As a reminder, it was with the end of the war between Russia and Poland that the treaty known as the Treaty of Androussovo in 1667, which is also known as the "Trève d'Androussovo", concluded between the Republic of the Two Nations (Poland) and Russia that Ukraine was partitioned between Poland and Russia. As was Africa at the Congress of Berlin in Germany in 1885. Indeed, it was this war that ended the occupation of Ukraine by Russia under Tsar Alexander III of Russia.
2 – On the presence of mercenaries from the Wagner group in Africa
Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group are currently present in Libya, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Mali and Burkina Faso. We know what the consequences are of collusion with militiamen or armies that are not answerable to any state. Because the mercenaries of Wagner do not answer for the Russian State as evidenced by the violent cleavages between Wagner and the Russian Army on the ground in Ukraine.
Need we point out Yevgueni Prigojine, Wagner's boss, only responds to the name of Vladimir Putin.
In Africa, the Convention of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), made in Libreville in Gabon on July 3, 1977, formally prohibited the activities of mercenaries for independence, sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and the harmonious development of member states. Because mercenary causes the destabilization of States and promotes armed conflicts. It is for this reason that South Africa was asked in 1993 to disband the famous "Buffalo Battalion" or "Buffalo Group", involved in several coups and coup attempts in Africa. . The mercenaries of this former special unit of the Apartheid regime but made multi-ethnic with the intervention in the war in Angola was in its time considered to have the best mercenaries on the planet. And, some of its elements had converted into a Mercenary Enterprise. It has long plagued Equatorial Guinea and the Central African Republic.
According to US intelligence, Wagner hatched a plot to assassinate President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno of Chad. A revelation published by the American newspaper Wall Street Journal in its edition of February 23, 2022 from official sources both Western and African. If to the already almost permanent instability in Africa from a political point of view, we must add the destabilization of foreign mercenaries, be they from any country, there is clearly a great danger for Africa. No development is built on the basis of instability or war. The terrorism or jihadism that is rampant in Africa today is the most eloquent manifestation of this.
3 – Rivalries between Vladimir Putin and France, the United States and the West in general
Some argue that France, a former colonial power, continues to cling to its former colonies like a raptor. By thus perpetuating the economic predation begun with colonization. The CFA franc is only the most eloquent illustration. The others invoke slavery and racism, etc. More broadly, some of the facts on which those who find favor with Putin in Africa are based are more widely attributed to the West in general. Especially when we talk about slavery and colonization.
Even admitting that the past is resurfacing in force in the minds of new generations through the combined action of economic precariousness and terrorist actions in Africa, does this mean that it is Vladimir Putin or Russia who must replace the putting France out of its former colonies in Africa? There is something absolutely incoherent in proclaiming oneself sovereignist and independent and then in calling for a new Russian colonization of which we do not know and do not even measure what it will be made of. If that is hatred towards France, that looks like it. And yet, it would suffice to leave the CFA Franc and mint its own currency, to stop shamefully saying that French is no longer an official language but a working language and to choose an African language to be the working language and/or official, etc It would simply suffice to take responsibility for yourself instead of continuing to use evasions in the face of your responsibilities and to choose the ease of imputing the consequences of your irresponsibility to others.
4 – Rivalries between Vladimir Putin and the United States of America
Putin's sympathizers or Russian agents in Africa rarely mention Ukraine to express their open hostility to the United States of America. If they reproach them for certain international interventions when the country assumed the role of "Gendarme of the world", they often rightly mention Iraq and the consequences that their unjustified intervention has since generated. But it is especially in Africa, in the case of Libya where they were involved with the France of former President Nicolas Sarkozy on the front line, that they are the most bitter. And if the pro-Putins are indeed right on the principles, the question that all should ask is why Russia, which has the right of veto at the UN, did not block the Resolution. Why did China, which has this same right, not do so as well. And yet African leaders through the African Union were outright opposed to this Western intervention in Libya. But all the permanent members of the Security Council, including Russia and China, did not deign to listen to Africa. If Russia and China really cared about defending Africa's interests, why didn't they follow the African Union's arguments by blocking Western intervention? Instead of coming to play firefighters later...
5 – The future of Africa may not be in the West, but it is neither in China nor in Russia…
In terms of co-development partnership with foreign countries, the future of Africa is not in the West, but it is neither in China nor in Russia. If Africa wishes to develop by escaping any temptation of the current great powers to make it their geopolitical or even economic playground so as not to repeat the same mistakes as with the West, it must look elsewhere in the world and demonstrate forward-looking vision. It is certainly easier to exchange with the former colonial powers for obvious reasons of communication, but it is not certain that even the Pro-Putin are convinced that Russia will bring something saving to Africa in its progress. towards development and progress. The recriminations heard here and there are only the expression of fed up or anger, even hatred of a youth who no longer knows which saint to devote himself to. Between leaders lacking foresight and harsh economic realities, the terrain is conducive to all forms of populism to mobilize and recruit. Both manipulators and other crooked politicians as well as terrorists and other jihadists take advantage of this precariousness of young people without prospects. When we lived through the 1970s and 1980s when the China-Russia-North Korea Bloc was still very present in Africa against the Western Bloc, we can only be less dreamy. And beware of applauding too loudly and raising Russian flags instead of waving your own.
The greatest paradox in all this unleashing of anti-French or anti-Western sentiment for political or unacknowledged ends is that there are not many young Africans who, leaving Africa to seek a better life in another continent, aspire to migrate to Russia or China. And even less Africans in their vast majority who aspire to live under regimes like that of Beijing or Moscow.
The question is not to cooperate or not to cooperate with Russia. And even less with China. "States have no friends, they only have interests", said the former President of France, General Charles de Gaulle. The question is rather to warn African leaders who favor Russia or China over other Western partners that Africans do not want to hear about a political regime like Vladimir Putin's Russia and Xi Jinping's China. And let those who would be tempted to take it for granted. Democracy is not a Western invention, far from it!
By Serge Félix N’Piénikoua
