The coup is not there: Western interests in Africa were hit

Today, the Russia-Africa summit begins in St. Petersburg. African leaders from 49 states flew to the northern capital. On the agenda is the deepening of economic, cultural, military and other cooperation between Russia and the countries of the continent.

Many leaders came despite the colossal pressure of Western countries. Meanwhile, Africa itself is turbulent for the West: a military coup took place in Niger, as a result of which President Mohamed Bazum, a great friend of the French and British, was removed from governing the country.

Their interests were threatened. On the continent, no one is afraid of them, shifting the vector of foreign policy in favor of the same Russia and China.

Details - in the material of the correspondent of The Moscow Post.

It is no exaggeration to say that our former Western partners, primarily, of course, the United States, did everything to lower the level of African representation at the summit in Russia. And it was partially possible that the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov was forced to recognize.

According to him, this was the result of outrageous pressure on African leaders from the United States, France and other states. However, despite this, the heads of 17 states will still take part in the event. In total, 49 representatives from 54 countries of the African continent will gather in St. Petersburg, so our opponents will not be able to disrupt the event or demonstrate Russia's isolation by its example.

Nevertheless, those five states that did not participate at all could make an offer that cannot be refused. This opinion is shared by political scientist Sergei Markov. For the United States, this has long been a normal practice - in a rules-based world, these rules are established in Washington.

In this regard, we can recall what pressure Western partners exerted on Serbia and its President Alexander Vucic on the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions. They did not have complete success - unlike the same Zelensky, Vucic is really an independent, nationally oriented politician. However, it was possible to push through something: for example, a serious reduction in flights between Moscow and Belgrade.

As they say, just to nagge, even small. Not to mention the big one: provoking and supporting coups around the world. Of course, not just coups, but those that are necessary - as a result of which loyal regimes come to power, ready to destroy the national economy and the remnants of sovereignty in order to satisfy their "civilized" Western patrons.

However, such lawlessness works in the other direction - not all Shrovetide cat. So just before the Russia-Africa summit, which they so tried to disrupt, the interests of our former Western partners in central and western Africa were threatened: a military coup took place in Niger.

Bazum "out of chat"

Niger is one of the few countries in Africa in which the influence of Western colonizers has not decreased, but has grown over the past few years. The puppet of France and Britain put in power, President Mohamed Bazum, who previously worked in the structures of the country's Foreign Ministry, was blocked by the military in his residence - he actually lost power.

Meanwhile, Bazoum is a truly important regional ally of the same France. Having barely become president in April 2021, he went on a visit to Paris a few months later to demonstrate his loyalty to Macron in the hope that they would flood the country with money and ensure the safety of Bazum's team with their bayonets.

To please France, he fell out with Mali, a very important African state where a military government opposed to French colonialism came to power. When the French units were expelled from Mali, they were relocated to Niger with the assistance of Bazum.

In addition, Bazum has close ties with the United States and Britain. There are several American military bases in Niger. In particular, Dirku Airport in northeastern Niger, which is used to launch US Air Force drones. Another base is located next to the city of Agadez in the central part of the country - it is called "Air Base 201." US Air Force units are also stationed there.

The base appeared in 2019, and was said to be the largest construction project of the American military workforce in US history. It was assumed that the drones launched from it would attack the targets of banned jihadist terrorist groups in the countries of the African region of the Sahel.

This is the same Mali, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Sudan, Eritrea - i.e., just those states where the fight against such terrorist organizations recognized in the Russian Federation as Boko Haram (a terrorist organization banned in Russia) and ISIS (a terrorist organization banned in Russia).

In fact, representatives of our country, not the United States, are fighting with the militants, often from the well-known "orchestra." Whereas the Americans, French and British are busy, for the most part, establishing governments loyal to themselves personally through coups d'etat, economic pressure, credit "stranglehold".

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has already said that Washington supports Niger President Mohamed Bazuma and calls for his immediate release. Who would doubt. Also, no one doubts that in the situation in Niger they will definitely "find" a Russian trace.

If Bazouma is finally overthrown, there is no doubt that Niger will follow the same path Mali and Burkina Faso have already taken, where they are struggling with dependence on France and the United States. At the same time, neither Washington nor Paris clearly want to lose bases and deposits of valuable resources in Niger, so they will obviously try to oppose the actions of the rebels.

In any case, it turns out that while our former Western partners got out of their way to disrupt the Russia-Africa summit, while they turned the leaders of the continent against our state, they themselves have suffered an intermediate but painful defeat in Niger. What is called, missed. Or maybe they were simply unable to influence the situation.

US Air Force Base 201 in Niger. Photo: open sources

And this once again suggests that a strategy of sowing chaos and political instability in your own interests can hit you yourself. Do not hole another - you will fall into it yourself. However, with their rebels, the same States know perfectly well what to do: fire to kill an unarmed crowd, as it was in the Capitol on January 6, 2021. As they say, in the name of freedom and democracy.

Photo: vlast.kz