Russia says plan to boost role in Africa includes ‘sensitive’ security ties.
Jerry
Russia plans to step up cooperation with African countries, including in “sensitive areas” such as defence and security, the Kremlin said on Monday.
Russian mercenary group Wagner said last week it was leaving Mali after helping the military junta there in its fight with Islamist militants. But the Africa Corps, a Kremlin-controlled paramilitary force, said it would remain in the west African country.
Asked what this meant for Russia’s role in Africa, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “The Russian presence in Africa is growing. We really intend to comprehensively develop our interaction with African countries, focusing primarily on economic and investment interaction.
Russia’s growing security role in parts of the continent, including in countries such as Mali, Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea, is viewed with concern by the West, and has come at the expense of France and the United States.
Russia’s Africa Corps was created with the Russian Defence Ministry’s support after Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and commander Dmitry Utkin led a failed mutiny against the Russian army leadership in June 2023 and were killed two months later in a plane crash.
Source: Reuters
