Africa Report – Russian Influences in Africa [2/5]: Central Africa, a laboratory of Russian mercenaries

In his speech on July 13, 2016, to the gathering of French officers at the Hotel de Brienne on the eve of the national holiday, President François Hollande announced the end of the French military intervention in the Central African Republic. ” We managed to avert the danger of the disintegration of this country. This success leads us to hand over responsibility to the international community and the Central African authorities. The head of state who determines declares: “ This October, the Minister of Defense, Jean-Yves Le Drian, will travel to the Central African Republic to officially announce the end of Operation Sangaris. “.

The announcement of the French military withdrawal is an opportunity for Moscow, which wants to increase its influence in Africa. Since 2017, the Kremlin has presented Bangui with a full security offer, recalls Thierry Vercoulon, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRY). ” The arms delivery issue was a gateway for Moscow, as the Central African Republic was under a UN embargo “.

” A very poor assessment of Russian policy by Paris »

In order for the Armed Forces of the Central African Republic to acquire weapons, it was already necessary to obtain approval from the Security Council. ” This is where Russia stepped in and obtained, as a member of the Security Council, a waiver to hand over these weapons. With this delivery of weapons, explains the researcher, who logically arose, the issue of training. ” Then Wagner’s instructors arrived. It was a package Weapons and training “.

The Russians’ access to the CAR has become much simpler, since in 2018 Paris, as part of its security architecture, required communication with Moscow. ” There was a very poor assessment of Russian politics To whom Thierry Vercoulon explains It is clear that French diplomacy wanted to keep space for dialogue with the Russian authorities, without realizing that the Russian authorities were not interested in dialogue. The researcher states that Paris was also involved at that time in Mali with Operation Barkhane, and therefore did not want to be responsible for two missions at the same time. For Thierry Vercoulon, France “ Indeed, it must be said that he sacrificed the Central African Republic to the operation in Mali “.

Also to listenRussian influences in Africa [1/5]: Soviet legacy

Wagner did not fulfill his contract to calm the situation in the Central African Republic

Five years after their arrival, the Russians had turned CAR into an economic protectorate, without fully fulfilling the initially proposed security contract.

“ They only partially filled it », defines Thierry Vercoulon, « As much as, with the spread of the Wagner Paramilitary Group 1 500 men, they only managed to secure the capital, Bangui, and a number of provincial capitals The researcher realizes that Wagner’s mercenaries were also able to train and equip certain battalions of the Central African Army. But they failed to calm the situation in the Central African Republic and ensure that the armed groups in the bush were defeated and completely disappeared. Since the end of 2021, Wagner’s mercenaries have already been harassed by a number of these armed groups far out in the bush.

Will the Wagner Group remain in CAR, or will President Faustin-Archange Touadera seek other support? A few days before the second summit between Russia and Africa in St. Petersburg, all options are on the table.

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