Africa - China Econ Group

Russia’s Religious Offensive in Africa

By Antonio Graceffo February 16, 2024World

By Antonio Graceffo Vladimir Putin is strategically weaponizing the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow’s drive to expand its sphere of influence in Africa. The Kremlin’s message of promoting traditional Christianity,…

Loans, Minerals, Weapons, and Coups: China’s Destabilizing Role in Africa’s Coup Belt

By Antonio Graceffo February 3, 2024World

By Antonio Graceffo In August, military officers in Gabon placed the country’s president, Ali Bongo, under house arrest. This latest coup comes just weeks after the army ousted the president…

The Niger Coup Affects US Foreign Policy in Africa and Europe

By Antonio Graceffo January 23, 2024Blog

By Antonio Graceffo The coup in Niger has implications for U.S. foreign policy in Africa and Europe. On Aug. 7, the U.S. State Department announced they have had direct contact with…

The Coup in Niger: Why Resource-Rich Countries Are Poor

By Antonio Graceffo December 30, 2023Blog

By Antonio Graceffo The leaders of Niger’s coup have suspended the Constitution, demanded the removal of foreign troops, and threatened to ban uranium sales to the West. Neighboring countries, like…

Russia’s role in the Sudan conflict

By Antonio Graceffo October 26, 2023Russia

By Antonio Graceffo Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin of the infamous Wagner mercenary group also owns a U.S.-sanctioned company called Meroe Gold. This company extracts gold from Sudan, supporting Russian President Vladimir…

Wagner Group: Putin’s attack dogs

By Antonio Graceffo October 14, 2023Russia

By Antonio Graceffo “I think this is a tool for realizing national interests without the direct participation of the state,” is how on Nov. 4, 2012 Vladimir Putin described the deployment of…

Russia’s Support for Terrorism: A Carry-Over of Soviet Policy

By Antonio Graceffo August 22, 2023Russia

By Antonio Graceffo During the Cold War, the Kremlin was a supporter of foreign terrorism, in order to destabilize enemy governments or to further Moscow’s policy objectives. The same strategy…