Moscow uses a range of tools to strengthen its narratives on the African continent – in some cases, successfully. But why is Africa so important to Vladimir Putin?
(DW) Russia is trying to undermine democracy in more than 20 African countries, said research from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, an academic institution of the US Department of Defense, released in June.
The main tools used to do this are political interference, disinformation and claims to power not supported by constitutions. And in some cases, they do work.
At the last UN General Assembly in February, countries like Botswana, Zambia and Tunisia voted for “just and lasting” peace in Ukraine, while Mali and Eritrea voted against, and 15 other African countries abstained from the vote.
Behind this may lie Russian influence in African countries. But how exactly does Moscow strengthen pro-Russia and anti-Western narratives? Below are some of the most important questions and answers.
Why is Africa an important target of Russian propaganda?
One of Russia’s main goals is to gain diplomatic legitimization for its war in Ukraine.
“Russia really needs Africa,” Mark Duerksen, a research associate at the African Center for Strategic Studies, told DW. This is especially true now that Moscow faces growing international isolation.
African governments that lack a domestic system of checks and balances end up creating an environment that favors Russian meddling on the continent. They are often internationally isolated themselves, and are therefore welcome partners for Moscow.
“Even before the war in Ukraine, we saw Russia aggressively trying to build support for its policies, often when they ran counter to European, NATO or North American policies,” Justin Arenstein, CEO of Code for Africa, the largest civilian tech network on the African continent, told DW.
Russia, on the other hand, is important to many African countries on the UN Security Council – and traditionally sides with other autocratic countries. In October 2019, for example, after Omar al-Bashir, the former president of Sudan, was ousted in a coup, Russia blocked the UN’s call to condemn him.
“Russia’s place on the UN Security Council is problematic for the advancement of democracy in Africa,” Joseph Siegle, a researcher at the African Center for Strategic Studies, told DW.
Arenstein of Code for Africa also pointed out that the Kremlin seeks alternative markets to the economies of northern Europe and the US, from which it is currently blocked.
The Wagner Group’s influence in Africa
In addition, Russia’s military involvement plays an important role in African countries. Wagner Group mercenaries are active in countries such as Mali, Libya and the Central African Republic.
In exchange for their services, Wagner troops gain access to raw materials such as gold. The paramilitary group also plays an important role in expanding the Kremlin’s political influence.
In Mali, for example, after ten years of supporting the fight against Islamist militants, France had to withdraw its troops without having achieved the desired impact. The African country has also requested that the UN withdraw its MINUSMA peacekeeping mission. Clearly, Mali is distancing itself from former colonial powers and instead collaborating more closely with Russia.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), 44% of weapons sold to African countries between 2017 and 2021 were of Russian origin.
How is Putin’s propaganda disseminated in African countries?
Russia uses social media to spread much of its propaganda and disinformation. According to Duerksen, this strategy is particularly successful in countries that lack a deep tradition of independent and free press. An example is the video below, aimed at Mali, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.
The Wagner Group is the main subject of several cartoon propaganda videos shown on the continent. In one of the scenes in the example above, Russian soldiers fight in Mali against French zombies, symbolizing France’s troops. The zombies claim to be the demons of President Emmanuel Macron and that Mali “is our country”. Amid the fighting, a giant snake on the enemy side adds: “France will reconquer Africa”. Such a narrative of a “neocolonialist” West is often used by Russia.
This kind of propaganda is directly linked to Russia, says journalist Dimitri Zufferey of the non-governmental organization All Eyes On Wagner, which tracks the paramilitary group’s activities. “We know that there is Russian money involved in political associations,” Zufferey told DW. The video was probably produced by a group of people in Burkina Faso working for Russia, he says.
Duerksen also points to the role played by African influencers paid by Moscow to spread Russian propaganda. Kemi Seba, a French-Beninese influencer with more than 1 million Facebook followers, for example, frequently posts anti-Western and pro-Russian content. Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he claimed that Moscow was “trying to reconquer Russian lands”.
A large media network spreading propaganda in Africa
Russian embassies also play an important role in spreading disinformation, as the following example shows.
In early July, the Russian embassy in South Africa posted an alleged screenshot of an article from the Politico website with the title “20 million lives in the name of freedom”.
In the post the following comment was added: “(…) NATO is forcing a war to be fought to the last Ukrainian”. However, it only takes a closer look and a bit of research to see that the image is false: Politico never published such an article. The grammar and spelling seen in the fake screenshot are riddled with errors, and the newspaper’s logo is equally fabricated. The Russian embassy in South Africa has since deleted the post, but by the time it was done, it had already reached more than 100,000 views on Twitter.
Russian state broadcaster RT has also expanded its network in Africa. The broadcaster has several media ventures on the continent, such as Afrique Media, which disseminates pro-Russian and anti-Western propaganda. Radio stations and newspapers funded by Russian institutions, such as Lengo Songo and Ndjoni Sango in the Central African Republic, have even been the subject of French-language DW reports.
Can Russia really influence African countries?
Russian propaganda does reach some African countries, but not all. According to a survey by the African Center for Strategic Studies, Russia’s influence is greatest in the Central African Republic (CAR), Mali, Sudan and Zimbabwe – precisely the countries where the Wagner Group operates.
According to Mark Duerksen, CAR is at the top of the list when it comes to Russian influence, especially in the form of military trainers who act as advisors to the president.
Russia’s popularity also dates back to Soviet times and the fact that it was not among the colonial powers during the era of colonization. This gives it a clear advantage, not least because many African countries relied on Kremlin support when fighting for independence in the 20th century.
Still, many African citizens are divided when it comes to the war in Ukraine. A poll conducted in June in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia shows that most think Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was against the principles of international law.
While Russia is not the only country or region trying to influence Africa, Justin Arenstein of Code for Africa sees Russian leadership as a major threat to Africans: “It undermines open societies. It undermines the ability of citizens to make their own choices,” he says.
