🇺🇸🌍 The US military influence in Africa
Part 1 – Military bases

Recently we’ve covered the theme of the UK’s influence in Africa. But it would be wrong not to talk about the ever-growing US military presence on the continent, which already exceeds that of Britain and France.

🔻After the end of the World War 2 the USA were quick to replace the UK and France as leaders not only in the western world, but also in Africa. However, up until the end of Cold War the continent was mostly viewed as a field for proxy wars with the USSR, and the United States policy was to support the pro-Western forces.

▪️After the dissolution of the Soviet Union the overall interest towards Africa lowered, because the only influential enemy just disappeared. But the 9/11 changed the situation drastically. The theme of terrorism became one of the main in the US international strategy. Whether it is true concern or just a mean to satisfy interests in certain regions, the fact remains that the US military presence greatly increased, and Africa was not an exception.

🔻Since 9/11, the US military has built a sprawling network of outposts in more than a dozen African countries. Officially, it is done so to battle the terrorism. Unofficially, goals also involve suppressing the growing influence of foreign nations, like Russia and China, and influencing African nations to make them more controllable to satisfy political and economic interests.

▪️The full footprint of the United States AFRICOM bases is hard to grasp, since some military facilities the US government tries not to reveal. However, as of now there are 26 active military bases (another one is planned to be established in the Kingdom of Morocco) and also US military personnel is present in 4 UN peacekeeping operations’ bases.

▪️The highest concentrations of the AFRICOM bases are in the Sahelian states on the west side of the continent, as well as in the Horn of Africa in the east. The AFRICOM is actively seeking to enhance its presence and is primed for expansion in the future. Some African states are positive about these bases, since the United States still provide some security to the states and help battle terrorism, like in Somalia, although not so actively.

🔻Despite some improvements, the situation in many countries that host US military personnel remains harsh. At the same time, the USA successfully preserves its influence and interest on the continent, although encountering competition from Russia, China and Turkey. The United States interests in Africa are growing, as the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit 2022 indicated, and in trying to satisfy them they will continue to increase military presence

However, having only military bases does not mean a full projection of military power on region. For that special operations are also needed, which is a topic for another post, so stay tuned for part 2.

High-res

#USA #Africa #Map

@africaintel

🇫🇷🌍 An open letter about the collapse of Paris in Africa was written to Macron by 94 French senators.

"Today Niger, yesterday Mali, CAR, Burkina Faso rejected France, French forces, French enterprises," the Le Figaro newspaper quoted the letter, naming Ivory Coast, Senegal, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco among those that have become problematic for France.

After the failure of the French military intervention in 2014, the Wagner Group came to Africa. Specifically to those countries whose leaders unite the population against "the former colonial power," the letter said.

"The French Africa of yesterday is being replaced by a military Russian Africa, an economic Chinese Africa, and a diplomatic American Africa. Africa, a friendly continent, no longer understands France and is increasingly challenging its role and presence," the French senators wrote.

#France #Africa

@africaintel

🇳🇪 🌍 Las especulaciones sobre una próxima invasión militar de las fuerzas de la Comunidad Económica de Naciones de África Occidental (ECOWAS) en Níger han terminado de una manera obvia: según los medios franceses, el bloque aún no está planeando una intervención.

Como hemos escrito más de una vez, ECOWAS simplemente no tiene la fuerza para tales eventos. Pueden jugar un papel de apoyo en caso de una operación militar de Francia, pero en París tampoco la están planeando, al menos por problemas de logística.

La situación puede cambiar, siempre que Estados Unidos dé "luz verde" a la invasión y ayude con la formación de una fuerza de ataque. Pero, por ahora, Washington apuesta por la diplomacia: ayer Níger recibió la visita de la subsecretaria de Estado Victoria Nuland para dialogar con las nuevas autoridades del país.

#África #Níger
—
🇳🇪 🌍 Speculation about an upcoming military invasion by Economic Community of West African Nations (ECOWAS) forces in Niger has ended in an obvious way: according to the media French, the bloc is not yet planning an intervention.

As we have written more than once, ECOWAS simply does not have the strength for such events. They can play a supporting role in the event of a military operation by France, but in Paris they are not planning it either, at least due to logistical problems.

The situation may change, as long as the US gives the "green light" to the invasion and helps with the formation of a strike force. But, for now, Washington is betting on diplomacy: yesterday Niger received a visit from Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland to talk with the country's new authorities.
#Africa #Niger

@rybar

⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦🕸 On the Global Smuggling of Western Arms from #Ukraine⚡️

💬 The Telegram Channel Two Majors published interesting information. According to the channel's sources, there are more than 570,000 weapons on the wanted list in #Ukraine, ranging from assault rifles to ATGMs/MANPADS and even artillery pieces.

❗️Only a lazy person is not talking about the flourishing corruption in country 404. Those in power are looking for an opportunity to make money at any convenient situation, including on arms supplies.

🎁 Ukrainian "gifts" during the special operation were found in #Mexico, #Europe, #Africa and, of course, in the Middle East. In most cases, there was only a mention without evidence. But this is easily explained, as they try to keep such incidents quiet.

🔹 The actual number of smuggled weapons remains to be seen (especially by sea), but the consequences of the uncontrolled shipment of weapons to #Ukraine are already being felt.

📌 In conditions of rapidly growing tensions in various regions of the world, the emergence of Ukrainian weapons will hardly be long in coming. In fact, this has already been proved by the experience of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the American ATGM that have been seen in the armoury of Hamas.

🗺 High Resolution: 🇬🇧🇺🇦 MAP; 🇷🇺 MAP

📜 RYBAR; 26 Oct 2023, 08:45

t.me/sitreports /@rybar/#ass/
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🇺🇸🇫🇷🌍 Exclusive: How the USA are pushing France out of Africa

We've already touched the topic of the US's attempts to conquer French assets in Africa many times. But recently, our sources enlightened us more on the situation.

As we said several times before, the Americans' aim is to oust France from the African continent, since they believe that France is "no longer capable of stabilizing the region", and even worse, that France is a destabilizing factor, whose lack of strength not only fueled anti-West sentiment, but gave rise to the pro-Russian ones. Therefore, the US decided to take the matter in their hands in francophone Africa.

🔍 Let's examine several examples.

🇳🇪 Niger since the end of July was rapidly cutting ties with France. Yes, the economical influence still remains, but other spheres, like military, suffered greatly (the last French troops are to leave country this week). On the other hand, Washington is feeling alright, announces its return, its air base in Niger is fully working, and despite French pressure the Americans refuse to support the French diplomatic position.

🇲🇷 In Mauritania, the French PMC THEMIIS has won a small contract with the Mauritanian army, but the Americans are already trying to dissuade the Mauritanians from getting closer to France, in favor of doing business with American security companies.

🇬🇦 In Gabon thanks to the pro-USA coup Washington have regained some control and they plan to further take advantage of France's difficulty in maintaining security costs to "steal" even more market shares from France and kick France out of the country.

🇨🇩 The DRC is already a lost cause for Paris. Several French PMCs tried to establish themselves in the east of country, but now they are only doing some maintenance or site protection, while all the important mentoring contracts have been won by American companies. Now the USA are seeking to completely oust the French from the DRC army.

🇨🇫 In CAR the situation is quite a funny one. Recently news surfaced that American Bancroft PMC, which has ties with the CIA, is planning on working in CAR. And to do this and counter the French, who are trying to regain a foothold in the country, they used France itself. The Bancroft executives sent to the country are two former French Special Forces operators. As a result, it was the French who negotiated on behalf of the Americans, against the French. 

The French working for Bancroft were misled by the group's American management, who told them that their presence in the country was, of course, not only to establish Bancroft, but also to "re-establish France". Except that the Americans have done exactly the opposite, and their enduring goal is to contain the French presence in the country. Bancroft's two Frenchmen have therefore left the country, and it is now the USA operators who negotiate for the Americans.

🇹🇩 The only French bastion in French-speaking Africa still holding out is Chad, whose fate is still unknown, since different French institute have different thoughts regarding the future of France in Chad. Some even make connection that the recent RSF victories in Sudan could have repercussions throughout the region and ultimately threaten Chad's stability.

🔻All in all, the United States for now are concentrated on decreasing French influence in Africa and are meticulously working on it. The results are quite sad for Paris and, most likely, the US will replace it in nearest future, maybe even in 2024. And it is only a matter of time when Washington will capture even longstanding economic field in francophone Africa — the only field in which France to this day has control.

Other actors in Africa, like Russia or China, should keep a close eye on the situation so as not to miss when the U.S. will try to "knock on the door" and conquer "their territory" in Africa.

#USA #France #Africa

@africaintel

⚡️🇾🇪🇮🇱📈 Against the Backdrop of the Ongoing Attacks by the Houthis on Vessels related to #Israel, the Price Index for Container Transport has risen by 60%⚡️

⚓️ The main reason is the confidence of the largest carriers that the situation is unlikely to change in the near future. And despite the operation launched by the #US in the Red Sea, the position of the largest companies operating in the market of container transportations, has not changed.

💬 In particular, the Danish Maersk in the press release has declared that in the foreseeable future all its vessels which should follow through the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea, will be redirected around #Africa that threatens multiple growth of expenses and, as a consequence, tariffs.

📌 This is a serious challenge for world trade, and all of this is just the result of actions taken not even by #Iran itself, but by its proxies.

📜 Voenkor Kotenok; 6 Jan 2024, 19:24

t.me/sitreports /@voenkorKotenok/#new/
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