Mathieu Gotteland
Quelques réflexions sur le sommet #Italie-Afrique et le "plan Mattei"
Les 29 et 30 janvier s'est tenu à Rome un sommet Italie-Afrique, suivant un modèle de plus en plus populaire et qui donne parfois l'impression que c'est les dizaines de pays africains doivent quémander un partenariat d'égal à égal avec des puissances, non seulement mondiales, mais aussi moyennes (sommets Japon-Afrique, Corée-Afrique, Arabie saoudite-Afrique, bientôt Inde-Afrique...).
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
⬆️ #US faces a critical inflection point in #Africa, struggles with shaky relations and troop cuts in #African nations.
Military #juntas that overthrew gov in #Mali, #BurkinaFaso, & #Niger are reassessing their ties to US and turning to #Russian mercenaries instead.
Forced US troop withdrawals from bases in Niger & #Chad and potential to shift some troops to other West African nations will be key issues as Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff meets with his counterparts.
https://apnews.com/article/us-africa-niger-chad-defense-brown-05cb62aff7faa0318f2e39290f708666
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
⬆️ >> #US faces a critical inflection point in #Africa, struggles with shaky relations and troop cuts in #African nations. Military #juntas that overthrew gov in #Mali, #BurkinaFaso, & #Niger are reassessing their ties to US and turning to #Russian mercenaries instead
The Russian mercenaries are now going back to #Russia because of #Ukraine incursion into Russian territory
This is another way Ukraine is helping us protect not just #Europe, but #Africa too.
Via @timkmak
https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2024/08/29/les-paramilitaires-russes-de-la-brigade-bear-quittent-le-burkina-faso_6298336_3212.html
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
⬆️ >> #Russian mercenaries are now going back to #Russia because of #Ukraine incursion into Russian territory.
As Russians retreat (and the West before that) from #BurkinaFaso, Islamist jihadists kill hundreds in one of the deadliest attacks since groups linked to #alQaeda and #IslamicState moved into Burkina Faso from neighbouring #Mali almost a decade ago, plunging the #Sahel nation into a security crisis that contributed to two coups in 2022.
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
⬆️ Last month, #Niger said #FU to #US.
US had considered Niger a key partner & ally. It invested heavily in training Niger’s forces to beat back insurgencies by #AlQaeda & #IslamicState militants.
When US warned Niger junta against cooperating with #Russia & #Iran, they were upset, saying US was trying to force Niger to choose between partners.
Now they have made a choice, as #Russian military trainers have arrived to reinforce Niger's air defenses.
https://apnews.com/article/niger-russia-military-trainers-18d6435d00e7790de9ee53e24bfca7ba
@mathieugotteland
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
⬆️ #Niger revokes #French company’s operating permit at major uranium mine.
Feels like the entirety of the continent of #Africa, from #Algeria in the north to #SouthAfrica in the south are in the tank for #Putin.
#Niger had suspended military cooperation with #US in March this year after moving away from #France and #EU last year.
https://apnews.com/article/mining-uranium-niger-france-junta-orano-ef4878557b0ec558c36639ed7464d7e3
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
⬆️ #Coup-hit #Niger was betting on a #China-backed oil #pipeline as a lifeline. Then the troubles began.
The linked story below explains why Niger might have revoked the #French company’s uranium mining permit reported above.
With Niger tilting towards #Russia and neighboring #Benin aligned with #France and the #WestAfrican bloc, China has tried to step in and resolve the impasse and benefit from its investment in the project.
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
Feels like the entirety of the continent of #Africa, from #Algeria in the north to #SouthAfrica in the south are in the tank for #Putin.
#US says Algeria push for #UN ceasefire resolution could hurt #Gaza talks. #permanentStateOfWar
Algeria and Russia are uniting to divide West Africa ➡️ https://thehill.com/opinion/international/4214238-algeria-and-russia-are-uniting-to-divide-west-africa/
Algeria-Russia Relations After the Ukraine Invasion ➡️ https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/algeria-russia-relations-after-ukraine-invasion
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
>> dozens of African countries that have to beg for an equal partnership with powers that are not only global…
At least one of them doesn't want any partnership with US & West.
#Niger suspends military cooperation with #US after moving away from #France and #EU last year.
US invested 100s of millions in training Niger’s military against resurgent #AlQaeda. Some in that military overthrew the democratically elected president #Bazoum in a coup.
https://apnews.com/article/niger-junta-us-military-base-b70bfba835a567d5f3439a32c9c82836
⬇️
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
Timeline ➡️ https://mastodon.social/@rameshgupta/111836301011875199
July 2023: #Niger military toppled #Bazoum
July 2023: #Putin visited #BurkinaFaso
Sept 2023: Niger, Burkina Faso, and #Mali ganged up to form #AllianceOfSahelStates (#ASE) and turned toward #Russia
Oct 2023: US officially designated the military takeover as a coup
Dec 2023: US said it was willing to restore aid and security ties if Niger met certain conditions
Niger junta spokesman said the US tone was condescending
⬇️
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
…Timeline, continued
Jan 2024: #Blinken tried appeasement and pitched #US as a better security partner for #Africa in place of #Russia’s #Wagner mercenary group
Feb 2024: #ECOWAS tried appeasement (in vain) ➡️ https://mastodon.social/@rameshgupta/111987078253232097
March 2024: After high-level talks with US diplomatic and military officials this week, #Niger practically said #FU to US, and stopped short of saying US forces should leave.
So, the question now is: Who is begging whom?
Ramesh #NotGoingBack
>> these summits are proof of a renewed interest in the #African continent on the part of everyone, not just the hegemonic powers and traditional partners
#Russia is trying hard to cut a wide swath across the middle of the continent — from #Mauritania on the #Atlantic to #Eritrea on the #RedSea — and everything in between
Quickly hemming up support with Sahel States #Mali, #Niger, & #BurkinaFaso, & most recently #Chad, #Putin is on a collision course with #France and #EU.
Mathieu Gotteland
Dans le même temps, ces sommets sont la preuve d'un intérêt renouvelé de tous, et non seulement des puissances hégémoniques ou des partenaires traditionnels, pour le continent africain.
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