Africa Strengthens Ties with Russia as Coups Against Western-Backed Governments Spread Across Africa Continent
Niger became the latest African nation to topple its "democratically elected" U.S.-backed government this week, as civil unrest spreads from coast to coast across the continent. President Bazoum is reportedly being held by his own presidential guard, and the coup leaders claim that the nation's army, gendarmerie, and police forces were all united in taking control of the government in Niger. Local reporters are claiming that the coup is also supported by the people of Niger. While Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the coup last week as an “anti-constitutional act,” a new "African Union" comprising over 40 African nations met with Russian President Putin last week in a "Russia-Africa Summit" to strengthen economic ties. The share of African nations in Russia’s foreign trade reportedly rose by 30% in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2022. Five countries account for 60% of trade turnover between Russia and Africa, namely Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, and South Africa. Russia sells grain, energy resources, metals, and trucks to the continent, and buys agricultural produce. Russia is offering to conduct trade in local currencies, which will further erode the strength of the U.S. dollar globally. At this summit, it was announced that Russia had granted debt relief on over $684 million owed to them by Somalia. The crumbling American empire is apparently losing its control over the African continent, and its rationale for keeping troops in the area with its decades old claims that these nations are controlled by "Islamic Jihad Terrorists."
