Why Russia seeks to expand its influence in Africa – and what it means for the West

This DIIS Report analyses the conduct, causes and consequences of Russia’s Africa policy. Four major conclusions emerge from it.

• First, Russia seeks to expand its influence across Africa through the application of a wide range of tools and tactics, including the provision of security assistance, weapons sales, information operations and diplomatic levers.
• Second, Russia’s stepped-up engagement across Africa is driven by the interaction of three sets of factors: status aspirations, the quest for geopolitical influence and economic interests.
• Third, Russia has been able to convert its activism on the continent into political influence, at least to some extent. This is shown through an analysis of Moscow’s impact upon African states’ voting behavior in the UN General Assembly. At the same time, it also becomes clear that Russia’s influence is not limitless.
• Fourth, Western governments need to recognise that local actors and factors play a central role in determining the extent of Russian influence. African leaders are not remote-controlled by Moscow. Thus, the West’s engagement with the continent must be about more than ‘containing’ Russia.