29 Nov 2024
African Think Tank

Association For Strategic Culture and Research Foundation

African Think Tank
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Libya’s Proxy War And The Changing Geopolitical Balance Of North Africa
On 20 July 2020, the Egyptian parliament unilaterally voted in favour of the possible use of the country’s armed forces abroad. It is clear that these armed forces will be used in one place only – Libya.
By Leonid Savin
25 January, 2021
South Africa: The most ideal partner for Russia in Africa.
Central documents are Joint Declaration on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Africa, signed during the working visit of President Vladimir Putin to the RSA timed to BRICS Summit in Durban in March 2013 and the Treaty on Friendship and Partnership concluded within the official visit of President of Russia Vladimir Putin to the RSA in September 2016.
By Lungile Cabangani II
19 April, 2021
Will U.S. Sanctions Against Ethiopia Provide Russia with Regional Opening?
The U.S. has recently imposed sanctions against some Ethiopian officials who Washington blames for alleged human rights abuses in the country’s restive Tigray Province. The background context is that members of the previously most important party of the former Ethiopian ruling coalition, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), recently split with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s new Prosperity Party ruling coalition over serious domestic political differences related to his vision for the country.
By Andrew Korybko
6 June, 2021
Russia Should Consider Partnering With The UAE In The Horn Of Africa
The Horn of Africa is arguably the most geostrategic part of the continent for the rest of the world at large so it's only fitting that Russia crafts a comprehensive strategy for advancing its interests there, one which would become much more viable if it seriously considered partnering with the region's de facto Emirati hegemon
By Andrew Korybko
8 June, 2021
Criticism Highlights Russia's Media Weakness in Africa
In her weekly media briefing July 23, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized United States support for educational programs, media and NGOs in Africa. In addition, Zakharova said
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
29 July, 2021
The Battle for Indian Ocean and Island States
Russia has taken an increasing interest in strengthening consistently its diplomacy with small island States especially Cape Verde, Mauritius, Maldives and Seychelles. Late December, the Kremlin appointed Deputy Director Artem Kozhin at the Foreign Ministry as the new ambassador to the island of Seychelles, signaling the strategic importance it attaches to this island state of Seychelles with an estimated population of 85 thousand, located in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar and east of Kenya.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
14 August, 2021
Economic Forum to Boost Far East Regional Development
With a focus to gather corporate business directors and investors especially from the Asian-Pacific region, the Far East federal district administration is speedily preparing to host the 6th edition of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) on September 2-4 in Vladivostok.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
27 August, 2021
Egypt Hopes for Russia's Nuclear Plant Construction
It was highly unique step forward in October 2019, during the first Russia-Africa Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reaffirmed commitment to scale-up cooperation in various economic sectors and particularly expedite work on the special industrial zone and the construction of proposed four nuclear power plants, raising hopes for an increased power supply in Egypt.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
1 September, 2021
More African Countries Register Russia's Sputnik Vaccine. What Next After The Registration Campaign?
Russia's drive to share Sputnik V vaccine, of course, offers a chance to raise its image and strengthen alliances in Africa. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has made efforts promoting the vaccine using all its channels. But supply and delivery have largely lagged behind, the pledges have simply not been fulfilled. Russian authorities have oftentimes said that they would step up efforts for fruitful cooperation in combating coronavirus in Africa.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
17 September, 2021
Power without Soft Power: China’s Outreach to Central Asia
While the international community focuses on the Uyghur Muslim and the Wakhan Corridor, the main threat to the Central Asian states will continue to be the lack of water supplies, which will lead to conflicts between countries in the region and, perhaps, with neighbors such as China and Russia.
By Michael Lambert
21 September, 2021
Foreign Competition In Guinea: The Scramble For Natural Resources
Guinea has struggled with political instability and endemic corruption since its independence from France in 1958. Despite the country’s poor infrastructure, there is a significant foreign presence in Guinea. Countries are mostly competing for its mineral resources, such as gold, diamonds, bauxite, and iron ore. The United States, along with other foreign powers, vies for access to these resources and for the ability to influence the country’s government.
By Jessica Pickering
22 September, 2021
France's Worries About Wagner's Alleged Deployment To Mali Make No Sense
In the event that those reports turn out to be true and such a deal is ultimately reached, then it should be internationally praised instead of condemned.
By Andrew Korybko
26 September, 2021
The Great Games of Diplomacy: Russia Sees Neocolonialism as An Investment Barrier in Africa
Some argue that the best way to fight neocolonialism is to invest in order to jostle for economic influence. Nevertheless, Russia has sought to convince Africans over the past years of the likely dangers of neocolonial tendencies perpetrated by the former colonial countries and the scramble for resources on the continent.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
30 September, 2021
What Would Happen to the World Without the United States?
Would NATO be able to survive in a world without the United States? Theoretically, yes, but only if the European great powers—the United Kingdom, Germany and France—put the maximum political, economic and military effort into it. The remaining countries in the bloc will have to increase their defence contributions by more than the two per cent on which Washington insists today to some four or five per cent.
By Dr. Andrey Kortunov
30 September, 2021
Global Energy: Transformation for Development
Vladimir Putin is the President of the Russian Federation. He took part in the plenary session of the Russian Energy Week International Forum held on October 13-15, in Moscow.
By H.E. Vladimir Putin
16 October, 2021
What Do Russia and Nigeria Share in Common?
After Soviet's collapse, Russia has been struggling to find ways of regaining part of its Soviet-era economic influence throughout Africa. Nigeria is high on Russia's agenda for reviving multifaceted business ties, at least to share the market and take up opportunities similar to external players such as the United States, Europe and China.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
17 October, 2021
China-Japan Relations: Searching For A New Equilibrium
The importance of stable China-Japan relations cannot be overstated. As the world’s second and third-largest economies, respectively, the impact of steady bilateral ties goes beyond the Asia-Pacific. The complex bilateral relations both have deep linkages and serious fault lines.
By Lucio Blanco Pitlo III
23 October, 2021
Wagner: Putin’s secret weapon on the way to Mali?
France is outraged at the prospect of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group arriving in Mali. However, Paris is seeking a way out of an unwinnable conflict.
By Richard Rousseau
23 October, 2021
Interpreting the Biden Doctrine: The View From Moscow
It is the success or failure of remaking America, not Afghanistan, that will determine not just the legacy of the Biden administration, but the future of the United States itself.
By Dmitri Trenin
25 October, 2021
Chad wants to lead the charge against Russia’s inroads in Françafrique
Russia and all of its partners in 'Françafrique' should be seriously concerned about what the Chadian Foreign Minister said instead of that diplomat and his country's French patron faking concern about them and Wagner.
By Andrew Korybko
29 October, 2021
Should China and Russia Form an Alliance?
In history, China has formed alliances with Russia more than with any other countries. The two countries formed alliances three times, respectively, during the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China, and the People’s Republic of China.
By Zhao Huasheng
1 November, 2021
Geopolitical Analysis of the “Power Shift” and Russia's Special Interest in Sudan
Sudan, located in the northeast Africa, has deepening economic crisis, so many social and political forces. While some are advocating for developing democracy, others have, under the circumstances, aligned with the military, which has accused the civilian governing parties of mismanagement and monopolizing power.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
3 November, 2021
Why Turkey is Keen to Project Power in the Gulf of Guinea
In 2005, Turkey began its new policy approach to Africa. The “Africa opening” doctrine is key to Ankara’s approach to political and economic relations on the continent. With the appropriate mix of soft power tactics, Turkey has made important inroads into the Gulf of Guinea area.
By Dr. Theodore Karasik
4 November, 2021
What Next For Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Negotiations?
The previous stances of the UNSC concerning Arabs in general have usually been neutral and non-binding, but it seems incapable of confronting the language of power, arrogance and unilateral thinking. Therefore, it was expected that the council’s decision on the GERD crisis would call for the continuation of negotiations on the basis that none of the three conflicting parties would be harmed or that the situation would not create a general crisis in a region that the world sees as inflamed.
By Dr. Abdel Latif El-Menawy
9 November, 2021
Why Russians Are Complaining How to Engage with Africa
In order to raise the economic influence, Russians have been making efforts to identify a structured finance mechanism for mega infrastructure projects such as nuclear power and energy, natural resources exploration and to significantly increase trade with Africa
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
11 November, 2021
Russia’s Cooperation Agreement with African Union: Economic and Geopolitical Implications
In the joint declaration, after the first summit, Russia and African Union have set goals and tasks for the further development of cooperation in all areas: politics, security, the economy, science and technology, culture and humanitarian sphere.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
18 November, 2021
The Geopolitics of China-Russia Relations: The Dragon and The Bear
As most of the world is desperately waiting for the pandemic to take its final breaths, the Dragon and the Bear have perhaps the most to look forward to in the year ahead.
By Nicholas Meyers
22 November, 2021
What Went Wrong With Russia’s Sputnik V Vaccine Rollout?
In August 2020, Russia was the first country to announce the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. Since then, a relentless publicity blitz has promoted the attributes of the Sputnik V vaccine. However, Sputnik V has struggled to gain mass acceptance inside Russia, let alone in other countries where it is marketed as an alternative to vaccines developed by Western and Chinese pharmaceutical firms.
By Paul Stronski
24 November, 2021
War Between Russia and Ukraine: A Basic Scenario?
The costs of a possible war between Russia and Ukraine far outweigh the benefits. The war is fraught with significant risks to the economy, political stability and Russian foreign policy. It fails to solve key security problems, while it creates many new ones.
By Ivan Timofeev
26 November, 2021
Fifty Truths about Fidel Castro
48. After a trip to Cuba in 2001, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., a historian and special advisor to President Kennedy, raised the question of the cult of personality: “Fidel Castro does not encourage the cult of personality. In Havana it is difficult to find a poster or even a post card with a photo of Castro on it. The icon of Fidel’s revolution, visible everywhere, is Che Guevara”.
By Salim Lamrani
30 November, 2021
Central Asian Elites Choose China Over Russia
The rationale to explain these Central Asian elites’ choices is that they may be better off embracing China while subtly distancing themselves from Russia, as Beijing increasingly aligns with its Central Asian counterparts with greater success than Moscow. Despite Central Asian countries being independent for three decades, it is common to find Russian assertions that they still effectively own the region.
By Jon Yuan Jiang
6 December, 2021
Russia's Influence in the Central African Republic
Conflict over CAR's mineral resources could also intensify amid fears that the government may compensate Wagner or associated companies by handing them control of mining zones. Wagner arrived in 2018, around the same time that the government granted gold and diamond mining licences to the Russian-owned company Lobaye Invest SARLU.
By Pauline Bax
6 December, 2021
Africa-China Relations Could Serve as Bulwark against Imperialist Hegemony
Note: These remarks were prepared and delivered in part for a webinar held on Sunday December 12 entitled “China/Africa Relations: Challenges of Cooperation and Development.” The event was sponsored by the International Manifesto Group and the Group for Research and Initiative for the Liberation of Africa (GRILA).
By Abayomi Azikiwe
14 December, 2021
The New Era Of Great Power Competition And The Biden Administration: Emerging Patterns And Principles
Geostrategic Interactions. Russia and China present distinct competitive threats to the United States around the globe. In many regions, Russia often poses the more immediate challenge, whereas the repercussions from Chinese economic investments manifest themselves subtly and will likely undermine U.S. strategic interests more gradually.
By Thomas F. Lynch III
27 December, 2021
Collective Sanctions Isolating Mali in the Sahel Sahara as Russia Rides the Wave of Anticolonialism
Over the past few years, Russian authorities have in their speeches expressed anti-colonial sentiments and openly declared unflinching support for fighting against what they referred to as neocolonial tendencies in Africa. Russia is particularly against France in French-speaking African countries in West Africa including the entire Sahel and Central African Republic.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
27 December, 2021
Russia, Africa and the Sputnik V
On bilateral basis, Russia has made some vaccine deliveries, but only to its preferred countries including North Africa (Algeria Morocco and Egypt), in East Africa (Ethiopia), in Southern Africa (Angola, Mozambique and Zimbabwe) and West Africa (Guinea). Media reports say South Africa has rejected Sputnik V donation.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
5 January, 2022
Pentagon Drone Attacks Killed Many Innocent People with Impunity
Some of the most well-known people who exposed these criminal acts are Julian Assange of WikiLeaks, Edward Snowden, a private contractor with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Chelsea Manning, a former soldier accused of sharing military secrets with WikiLeaks. Snowden was driven into exile in Russia, Manning was court martialed under the Espionage Act and served seven years in U.S. military prisons, while Assange is facing extradition to the U.S. to stand trial.
By Abayomi Azikiwe
6 January, 2022
St. Petersburg – Venue for Second African Leaders Summit
In their first joint declaration, emerging from the Russia-Africa summit, at the initiative of African participants a new dialogue mechanism—the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum—was created. The declaration stipulated that all top-level meetings take place within its framework once every three years, alternately in Russia and in an African state. It says further that the foreign ministers of Russia and three African countries—the current, future and previous chairpersons of the African Union—will meet for annual consultations.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
20 January, 2022
Information operations: An understudied facet of Russian influence in Africa
Russia’s Evolving Information Operations
By Miriam Roday, Sarah Daly
20 January, 2022
Russian Policy Failing Africa’s Sustainable Development
After the State Duma meeting, Kester Kenn Klomegah fixed this interview with Ambassador Nicholas Sango who willingly shared his views and thoughts on a few current pertinent issues connecting Russia and Africa. Below are the interview excerpts
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
30 January, 2022
Burkina Faso Military Coup Reflects Wave of Insecurity in West Africa
The U.S. nor France has the willingness to provide genuine assistance to the African people in their contemporary struggles for economic development and territorial sovereignty. The mass sentiment against Paris and Washington is well-founded. What is needed is revolutionary organization which can bring together the people of the region in a program aimed at continental unity and socialist reconstruction.
By Abayomi Azikiwe
1 February, 2022
Afghanistan Funds Seized by Biden Administration
The withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Afghanistan in August 2021, weakened the image of the White House under Biden. Perhaps Biden is attempting to regain a portion of the perceived military prowess of Washington by provoking an incident with Moscow over the independence of Ukraine.
By Abayomi Azikiwe
17 February, 2022
Russia and the Maghreb: Future Geostrategic Perspectives?
Today, the Maghreb is not a fundamental interest for Russia, but rather a source of economic and political opportunities. The Russian redeployment in the Maghreb, which began during Vladimir Putin's second term in 2004 and has been over the last decade, relies on new vectors, distinct from the old anti-imperialist aura from which the Soviet Union had benefited in Algeria and Libya.
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
23 February, 2022
How does the Ukrainian crisis affect Libya?
International companies rushed to consult with the Libyan National Oil Corporation about increasing supplies to Europe, but experts made clear their concerns about the political situation that the National Oil Corporation may not have export possibilities with the decline in good maintenance and oil smuggling.
By Miral Sabry Al Ashry
27 February, 2022
African Students Further Expose the Racist Character of the Ukrainian State
As western media outlets seek to build sympathy for the NATO-backed regime in Kiev, Africans and others oppressed groups are facing targeted discrimination and violence.
By Abayomi Azikiwe
3 March, 2022
How Russia Will Counterpunch the U.S./EU Declaration of War
One of the key underlying themes of the Russia/Ukraine/NATO matrix is that the Empire of Lies (copyright Putin) has been rattled to the core by the combined ability of Russian hypersonic missiles and a defensive shield capable of blocking incoming nuclear missiles from the West, thereby ending Mutually Assured Destruction (M.A.D.)
By Pepe Escobar
6 March, 2022
Many Africans Reject Washington’s Position on Ukraine Crisis
Since the post-World War II period national liberation movements and independent countries in Africa have developed solid diplomatic and economic relations with the former Soviet Union and today’s Russian Federation.
By Abayomi Azikiwe
14 March, 2022
Why Did U.S. Prioritize Containing China Over Russia?
These calculations seemingly changed sometime around last fall, when everything began to get much more intense in Europe. A decision had apparently been made to not sincerely negotiate with Russia in good faith and, if anything, perhaps even provoke the Kremlin into taking the kinetic action that U.S. intelligence subsequently claimed that it was preparing to authorize.
By Andrew Korybko
17 March, 2022
Ukraine: The Great Manipulation
A timetable was worked out. President Zelenski will address the French parliament, then President Biden will come to Europe to preside over an extraordinary NATO summit, and finally Pope Francis, fulfilling the prayer of the Virgin Mary at Fatima, will consecrate Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin. This montage may appear artificial, but its effect should be powerful. For many Catholics, fighting Russia will become a religious duty.
By Thierry Meyssan
24 March, 2022
Will Libyan oil compensate for the lack of Russian supplies in Europe?
Since the 2011 revolution and the fall of the Gaddafi regime, Libya has witnessed chaos resulting from divisions and disputes over power, the rise in the influence of two governments in the east and west, armed groups, and external interventions from Europe, America, Russia, and Turkey.
By Miral Sabry Al-Ashry
26 March, 2022
Once in a Century Opportunity
In short, the financial war on Russia gave the West an unmistakable lesson from Moscow that the hardest currencies are not USD or EUR, but rather oil, gas, wheat, and gold. Yes, energy, food and strategic resources are currencies.
By Alastair Crooke
5 April, 2022
Western Sanctions Against Russia Creates Food Deficits Globally
On an international geostrategic level, the Soviet Union and the U.S. found themselves on the opposite sides of the political spectrum. In Africa, Asia and Latin America, the Soviet Union supported the national liberation movements and those independent governments seeking to build an anti-imperialist and socialist orientation.
By Abayomi Azikiwe
13 April, 2022
What Could Be the Real Reason Behind Russia’s Operation in Ukraine
In November 2021, the US Army officially recommissioned the 56th Artillery Command, based in Mainz-Kastel, Germany.
By Strategic Culture Foundation
28 April, 2022
United Nations Secretary General Holds Talks in Moscow and Kyiv on Ukraine War
Obviously, the U.S. and NATO actions indicate that the Biden administration and its European allies are not interested in a speedy conclusion to the war in Ukraine. The sanctions imposed by the U.S. and the EU has created a crisis in Western Europe where several leading states such as Germany are continuing, out of necessity, to purchase oil and natural gas from the Russian Federation.
By Abayomi Azikiwe
3 May, 2022
Congress Passes Anti-Russia Bill Reinforcing Neo-colonialism in Africa
Russian military operations in Ukraine are in response to Washington and Wall Street’s efforts to expand the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) deeper into Eastern Europe as a direct threat to the interests of the Russian Federation and its allies.
By Abayomi Azikiwe
15 June, 2022
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