By using ECSS site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
ECSS - Egyptian Center for Strategic StudiesECSS - Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies
  • Home
  • International Relations
    International Relations
    Show More
    Top News
    Deconstruction Ethiopia’s Media Discourse over GERD: The “National Project” Delusion
    August 12, 2020
    Strategic partnership: Egypt’s policy on Libya during new transitional phase
    March 20, 2021
    Added confusion: Following the Withdrawal of Confidence from Dbeibeh’s government
    October 4, 2021
    Latest News
    A Year Later: How Did Russia Manage the War in Ukraine?
    February 8, 2023
    Will India Grow into a Rising Asian Tiger?
    February 7, 2023
    Growing Engagement: Rivalry of Major Asian Powers in Africa
    February 5, 2023
    Looking West: India’s Strategy and Relations with Egypt
    February 4, 2023
  • Defense & Security
    Defense & Security
    Show More
    Top News
    Cautious Optimism: How Can the Russia-Ukraine Crisis be Contained?
    Cautious Optimism: How Can the Russia-Ukraine Crisis be Contained?
    February 23, 2022
    Trump’s war on TikTok
    September 1, 2020
    الضربة الأولى: انطلاق الاجتياح الروسي لأوكرانيا
    The First Strike: Russia Storms Ukraine
    February 27, 2022
    Latest News
    Reasons and Ramifications of Al-Shabaab’s Retreat from its Positions
    January 30, 2023
    Task Force 59: The New US Military Deployment Pattern in the Middle East
    November 30, 2022
    The Future of Relations between Al-Qaeda, Taliban and Islamic State After Al-Zawahiri’s Death
    August 27, 2022
    Israel’s Cyber ​​Dome: Hallmarks and Motives
    August 15, 2022
  • Public Policy
    Public Policy
    Show More
    Top News
    Investing in Energy: The New Egyptian, Palestinian, Israeli Projects
    March 18, 2021
    Effective Policies: Managing Inflation in Egypt in 2021
    February 8, 2022
    Horizons of Development Owing to American Diploma Exam Problem
    October 1, 2020
    Latest News
    How will Forward Exchange Contracts Affect Egypt’s Market Stability?
    January 24, 2023
    Egypt’s Economic Gains from COP27
    December 14, 2022
    Global Crisis: Whither Inflation?
    December 8, 2022
    Climate Finance: Financial Resources and Investments to Address Climate Change
    December 4, 2022
  • Analysis
    • Analysis
    • Analytical article
    • Opinions Articles
  • Activities
    • Conferences
    • ECSS Agenda
    • Panel Discussion
    • Seminar
    • Workshops
  • ECSS Library
    • Books
    • Digital Editions
    • Periodicals
    • Special Editions
  • العربية
  • Advertise
All Rights Reserved to ECSS © 2022,
Reading: Countering Russian Influence: Implications of Blinken’s African Trip
Share
Notification Show More
Latest News
A Year Later: How Did Russia Manage the War in Ukraine?
International Relations
Will India Grow into a Rising Asian Tiger?
International Relations
Strategic Assessment for Israel 2023
Opinions Articles
Growing Engagement: Rivalry of Major Asian Powers in Africa
International Relations
Looking West: India’s Strategy and Relations with Egypt
International Relations
Aa
ECSS - Egyptian Center for Strategic StudiesECSS - Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies
Aa
  • اللغة العربية
  • International Relations
  • Defense & Security
  • Special Edition
  • Public Policy
  • Analysis
  • Activities & Events
  • Home
  • اللغة العربية
  • Categories
    • International Relations
    • Defense & Security
    • Public Policy
    • Analysis
    • Special Edition
    • Activities & Events
    • Opinions Articles
  • Bookmarks
Follow US
  • Advertise
All Rights Reserved to ECSS © 2022, Powered by EgyptYo Business Services.
International Relations

Countering Russian Influence: Implications of Blinken’s African Trip

Salah Khalil
Last updated: 2022/09/07 at 7:09 PM
Salah Khalil
Share
7 Min Read
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives at Lanseria International Airport in Johannesburg on August 7, 2022. (Photo by Andrew Harnik / POOL / AFP)
SHARE

On 8 August, the US administration released the new “US Strategy toward Sub-Saharan Africa.” The document sets a five-year period to achieve the four objectives that advance the US priorities in sub-Saharan Africa, namely fostering openness and open societies, delivering democratic and security dividends, advancing pandemic recovery and economic opportunities, and supporting conservation, climate adaptation, and just energy transition.

The strategy was revealed in tandem with the trip of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda, from 7 to 12 August. Blinken’s trip was meant to assert Washington’s geopolitical role in Africa as a vital partner. The visit came as an integral part of the US strategy to rebuild alliances and partnership with African countries, toward limiting the Russian and Chinese influence in Africa. 

Notwithstanding the importance of the US Strategy toward Sub-Saharan Africa, the US strategy toward the entire continent remains the striking development that has long, short, and medium-term repercussions, being a policy of great significance in light of the current international developments.

Back to Africa

The previous comprehensive US strategy toward Africa was issued in 2012 by the Barack Obama administration. Essentially, it gave priority to strengthening democratic institutions, spurring economic growth, trade, and investment, promoting peace and security, and fostering development through initiatives in areas of health, food security, and climate change, among others. While these issues remain relevant to the US-African relations in 2022, the partnership between the United States and Africa has gained particular significance in light of the political, economic, security, and geopolitical conditions that have changed considerably in Africa, the United States, and around the world. Notably, this is Blinken’s second tour to Africa after his three-nation visit to Nigeria, Senegal, and Kenya in November 2021.

The United States is seeking to reposition itself in sub-Saharan Africa to counter the influence and expansion of Russia and China and gain allies in its fight against terrorism, particularly in light of the spread and expansion of extremist Islamic groups, following Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State’s success in building alliances with some terrorist groups in Africa. Beyond this, the current US administration looks for establishing new bilateral and collective partnerships with African countries through trade, investments, political participation, and assisting African countries through various agencies, development initiatives, and military relations with African governments, civil society, and businesses.

Concerns over Russian Influence in Africa

Blinken’s visit came shortly after the tour of his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Africa in July 2022, which included Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia and Uganda. The new strategy document revealed the US administration’s concern over the Russian role, warning against the military partnership with Wagner Group and the negative role Russia plays through monitoring security and intelligence information with African countries and destabilizing international and regional peace and security. The document also warns that the military partnership between African countries and Moscow are in the interest of Russia’s strategic and economic benefits rather than the African people. It also warns that Moscow uses these relations to gain support of African countries and undermine the position of African countries to justify its invasion of Ukraine. The new document unfolds allegations and fears of the US administration against both Russia and China and their policy toward Africa.

In many respects, the Russo-Ukrainian war unfolded Russia’s growing influence in Africa, as has been demonstrated in their voting on the United Nations resolution demanding Russian Federation to end illegal use of force in Ukraine. Out of 54 African countries, 25 countries voted in favor of the resolution while the rest abstained from voting. Perhaps this reflects the strength of the approach of Russia in its relations with African countries, where it avoids interfering in the internal affairs of African countries and presents itself as a strategic partner in different fields, without introducing any restrictions.

The new US strategy toward Africa seems inadequate for addressing the challenges of a world that has become more competitive. The tools proposed in the strategy don’t seem to fit the unstable African countries that are afflicted by ethnic, tribal, and national conflicts and sanctions that the United States has always imposed on some of them. Additionally, the US “Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa” Act puts pressure on African governments that work with Russian entities, which makes them subject to sanctions by the US administration. In effect, this legislation provoked backlash from African people and governments.

Overall, the major challenge for the US administration in Africa is the unwillingness of African governments to get involved in a cold war between Russia and China on the one hand and the United States and its allies on the other. Nevertheless, the big question is: to what extent will the United States succeed in putting pressure on African governments to denounce the Russian invasion of Ukraine? This is what the joint US-African summit of December 2022 will unfold.

Related Posts

A Year Later: How Did Russia Manage the War in Ukraine?

Will India Grow into a Rising Asian Tiger?

Growing Engagement: Rivalry of Major Asian Powers in Africa

Looking West: India’s Strategy and Relations with Egypt

TAGGED: Africa, Blinken, Featured, Russia, US
Salah Khalil September 7, 2022
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Telegram Email Copy Link Print
Salah Khalil
By Salah Khalil
A researcher at Al-Ahram Center for Social and Historical Studies

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest Articles

High sea strategies
Analysis October 28, 2021
The Effect of Macron’s Personality Traits on France’s Foreign Policy
International Relations May 19, 2022
The National Strategy to Combat FGM: What’s Next?
Public Policy October 14, 2021
Afghan Refugees: 40 Years of Suffering
International Relations September 26, 2021

Latest Tweets

International Relations

  • African Studies
  • American Studies
  • Arab & Regional Studies
  • Asian Studies
  • European Studies
  • Palestinian & Israeli Studies

Defence & Security

  • Armament
  • Cyber Security
  • Extremism
  • Terrorism & Armed Conflict

Public Policies

  • Development & Society
  • Economic & Energy Studies
  • Egypt & World Stats
  • Media Studies
  • Public Opinion
  • Women & Family Studies

The Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies is an independent non-profit think tank, providing decisions-makers by Policy alternatives, the center was establised in 2018 and comprises a group of experts and researchers from diffrent generations and scientific desciplines. 

All Rights Reserved to Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies - ECSS © 2022

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?