Africa and Russia: The anti-imperialist partnership for our future

Written by the Coalition for the Elimination of Imperialism in Africa

Neo-colonial governments have been toppled in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger (henceforth “the Alliance of Sahel States”). Revolutionary governments, backed by popular movements, have seized power and resurrected the flame of revolution in Africa. From the outbreaks of the rebellions that toppled neo-colonialism to today, it is common to see the people raising Russian flags along their national flags. For Africans, Russia represents a win-win cooperation and a partner against Western hegemony. Despite Western media’s desperate strategy to paint Russia as an imperial power and a colonial force that Africans should be wary of, a thorough study of history and a proper understanding of imperialism demonstrates that Russia has never been an imperialist or a colonial force in Africa, nor is it now. 

Pre Soviet Union Tsarist Russian empire had limited contact with Africa as it didn’t have the resources nor the wish, although it didn’t lack the colonial ambitions. Its focus was more towards Asia and Europe. Tsarist Russia was invited to the Berlin Conference, but it did not claim any territory in Africa. With the October Revolution of 1917, the political landscape of both Russia and the world changed. It was the beginning of the new multipolar world and a weakening of colonial powers of the West. Africa and the colonized world took notice of that and immediately went to work on their liberation struggles. The Soviet Union for its part championed national liberation struggles because of Lenin and the Bolsheviks analysis of imperialism and the necessity to defeat it for the world to be at peace. That necessity remains true to this day as capitalism and imperialism are wreaking havoc all over the planet and especially in the continent. 

The Soviet Union, in which Russia was an integral part of, supported African liberation movements and was a critical part of the independence wave of the 1960s. This included bolstering calls for independence at the UN and using its major political sway to advocate and support African anti-colonial movements. They also trained and funded revolutionaries and intellectuals not just in Africa but from the global African diaspora. They supported the African struggles in the US against Jim Crow apartheid, liberation movements like FLN in Algeria, FRELIMO in Mozambique, and the newly liberated nations like Egypt under Gamal Abdel Nassar. The Soviet Union provided an alternative to the imperialist world system and allowed us to build an autonomous national and regional economy and provided access to technology that would have been otherwise kept outside of our reach by imperialist knowledge and technology gatekeeping. 

All the while, the imperialist West, with the consolidation of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) after WW2, had been the antithetical vanguard defending the colonizer’s world order. They provided arms to the Portuguese against PAIGC, FRELIMO and MPLA, they worked with the settler colonial government in South Africa, and labeled liberation movements and their leaders as terrorists to constrain the support they received in all fronts. 

After a long imperialist onslaught, the Soviet Union was overthrown. Russia emerged as an independent political economy working along the lines of world capitalism but still antagonistic to Western imperialism. Russia’s position in the now unipolar world created new contradictions but also new opportunities for nations struggling against Western hegemony.

The modern day relationship between Russia and African countries predates the founding of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). A little known fact amongst Pan-Africanists is that the Central African Republic (CAR) signed a defense agreement with Russia and chased out the French army before the AES did. France, which had over 1500 troops in the CAR began withdrawing in 2016 and the country signed a defense agreement with Russia in 2018. Despite the presence of thousands of imperialist troops including the so-called stabilizing mission of MINUSCA (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic), the CAR continued to be disrupted by violence perpetrated by various Western-backed rebel groups which lead to severe losses amongst the national armed forces. The president of CAR, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, stated that France's refusal to give them weapons to fight against terrorists prompted him to turn to Russia. 

Despite claims that Russian soldiers were committing human rights abuses by mouth pieces of imperialism like Human Rights Watch, many protests took place in the capital of CAR, Bangui, in support of Russia after the war in Ukraine began. The people support Russia because Russia has been a reliable partner. In 2021, Russian soldiers working alongside the Central African Armed Forces, successfully neutralized rebel groups that were attempting to capture the capital. In May 2024, Russia in collaboration with the CAR army, liberated 21 Chadian soldiers who had been captured by Western-backed militants. Chad's defense minister expressed gratitude to Russia, noting that Russia had always been a reliable partner for African countries, unlike France, Great Britain and the United States, which only benefited from Africans. 

Russia has been collaborating with the heavily sanctioned Zimbabwe for several years. The country was punished with brutal sanctions following the land reform in 2000 which took the land from white settlers and returned it to the indigenous population. The Zimbabwean Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga, stated that the country had lost more than $150 billion due to those sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States. Africa is the most sanctioned continent on the planet and thanks to the rise in power and influence of Russia and China, these sanctions do not asphyxiate African countries the way they used to. Russia and China offer us alternatives without interfering in our internal affairs and respect our sovereignty. 

Russia’s partnership with the countries of the AES is subject to much speculation. The AES currently represents the greatest threat to western imperialism and a partnership with an undeniably anti-imperialist country like Russia, is our enemies worst nightmare. That is why the Western media is working overtime to demonize Russia and encourage Africans to reject any collaboration. Unfortunately for them, Africa’s closeness with Russia is strongly supported and encouraged by the masses because they recognize the material advantages of this partnership. 

Prior to the arrival of our beloved Captain Ibrahim Traore in Burkina Faso, 60% of the national territory was controlled by NATO-backed and sponsored mercenaries and death squads. In an interview, President Traore spoke of the difficulties they had purchasing lethal weapons from NATO countries. Thanks to their military agreement with Russia, the Burkinabe armed forces have been able to acquire high tech military equipment which has enabled them to recapture their territory. On November 14th, 2023, the Malian army finalled reclaimed Kidal, a town in northern Mali which for the past decade had been a stronghold of NATO-backed mercenaries and death squads. Such an achievement wouldn't have been possible without the military agreement between Mali and Russia. Today, the FAMA’s (Malian armed forces) is one of the most powerful armies in Africa and the state now has control over the entirety of its territory. While the real imperialists (USA and France) sponsor the destabilization of the region, Russia is helping Africa combat it. 

Due to the severe underdevelopment of the continent by the imperialist camp, Africa lacks the science and technology that is necessary for economic and social progress. The Sahel, like most of Africa, suffers from terribly low energy production. Niger, a country massively rich in high grade uranium, a mineral needed to produce energy, has a terribly low electricity generation. Less than 20% of Nigeriens have access to electricity 24hrs a day. Without energy we cannot develop industry. That is why the Nigerien government has partnered with Russia to build a solar power plant which will increase generation capacity by 60 percent. In Mali, construction has begun on the largest photovoltaic solar power plant in West Africa. The 200MW plant, built in partnership with Russia, is expected to boost national electricity production by 10%. You will not find a single example in history where an imperial power has helped an African country develop industries. You will not find a single example where an imperialist country has brought light to Africa. While less than 20% of Nigeriens have access to consistent electricity, one in three lightbulbs in France is powered by uranium stolen from Niger. The imperialists view Africa as a zone of extraction that provides the resources needed for them to develop industries in their metropoles. The partnership with Russia has not only allowed for the military growth of the AES countries but it has also benefited their social and economic progress due to the transfer of scientific and technological knowledge needed to develop thriving societies capable of defending their sovereignty. 

While Russia has undeniable interest in the resources of the Sahel, the way it goes about acquiring these resources is vastly different from the methods of the imperialists which are generally economic intimidation and violence. Russia comes in when asked and cooperates with us in a respectful manner that doesn't threaten our sovereignty. Like the people of the Sahel like to say, cooperation with Russia is a win-win. 

We do not deny the contradictions that exist in the presence of Russia in Africa. Its role in Sudan has been rightfully criticized due to their previous support of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that is destabilizing the country to facilitate the extraction of the national resources for US proxies like the United Arab Emirates. Despite this contradiction, Russia can still not accurately be described as an imperial force or a country seeking to colonize Africa. An error in judgment or a poor decision does not warrant Russia (or China) to be lumped in with imperialist countries like the United States of America that have been sponsoring genocide, tyranny and mass suffering in Africa for centuries. The contradictions created by neo-colonialism cannot be blamed solely on external factors. It is the duty of Africans to organize to overthrow the neo-colonial governments that hold most of Africa hostage rather than expecting other nations to close the door to them. Russia, nor China, should not be expected to only work with progressive governments in Africa. What we do expect is that countries who wish to partner with Africa do not intervene in our internal affairs nor do they compromise our sovereignty. 

Beyond the African continent, Russia has developed relations with other countries that resist Western imperialism. While NATO continues to occupy Syria, it is Russia who is assisting them in defending their sovereignty. Russia has been instrumental in helping Iran develop its defense and security sector which allows Iran to be a critical member of the Axis of Resistance and to play a significant role in defending Palestine against the Euro-American Zionist aggression. Russia has also stood by countries, such as Venezuela and Cuba by offering diplomatic backing against the imperialist camp led by the United States of America. 

In his seminal book, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, Walter Rodney, clearly lays out who the enemies of Africa are. The underdevelopment of Africa can be traced back to the colonial exploitation, dispossession of our land, economic extraction, and systemic disfranchisement imposed by European powers and their settler colonial creations like the United States of America, Australia and Canada. Rodney asserts that, “[The] association of wealth with whites and poverty with blacks is not accidental. It is the nature of the imperialist relationship that enriches the metropolis at the expense of the colony.’’

Through their institutions such as NATO, the IMF, the World Bank and the United Nations, the imperialists are able to capture the sovereignty of many African countries using military, economic and ideological means. 

In 2008, under the leadership of Barack Obama, the United States heightened its aggression in Africa through the expansion of AFRICOM, the US Africa Command. In one of the greatest act of contemporary destabilization of Africa, AFRICOM, along with its NATO allies, lead a military invasion of the Great Socialist Libyan Jamahiriya which ended in the assassination of the revolutionary Pan-Africanist Muammar Gaddafi and Libya, which had once been the most thriving state in Africa, was turned into a failed state where slavery thrives. 

The murder of Gaddafi and the destruction of socialist Libya had massive consequences for the African continent. NATO-backed mercenaries got a hold of Libya’s arms stash and spread throughout the region occupying major zones and wreaking havoc on behalf of their employers, the imperialists. Mali and Niger have stated at the United Nations that they have proof that NATO countries are sponsoring terrorist groups in the region. In July 2024, Ukrainian officials working alongside these mercenaries orchestrated an attack against the Malian armed forces in the northern city of Tinzaouaten which led to the loss of 47 Malian and 84 Russian soldiers. 

The presence of NATO countries and their proxies such as Ukraine and Israel has created a situation of prolonged low-intensity genocide in Africa. In 2007, prior to the establishment of AFRICOM, only 1% of global terrorism deaths were in the Sahel. By 2023, deaths in the Sahel constituted 47% of terrorism deaths. It is imperative for Africans to understand once and for all that AFRICOM, which was created under the guise of combating the spread of terrorism in Africa, is in fact the greatest sponsor of terrorism in Africa.The imperialist have created a vicious cycle where they arm and sponsor terrorism in order to expand their presence in Africa under the guise of combatting said terrorism. The real purpose of AFRICOM, like all other western imperialist occupations, is to kill Africans and seize our resources. 

Today, the imperialists continue their aggression against African sovereignty by targeting the Alliance of Sahel States. Captain Ibrahim Traore, president of Burkina Faso, has already survived numerous assassination attempts by the NATO proxy state Ivory Coast. Through the NATO controlled ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), they implemented genocidal sanctions against the AES in an attempt to break the spirit of the masses and block the progress of their revolution. Using their propaganda apparatus, they have launched a disinformation campaign against the AES leadership, accusing them of targeting certain ethnic groups, siphoning funds and even went as far as accusing their armies of cannibalism. This is part of the interventionist technique of painting revolutionary governments as authoritarian despots and its population needing to be ‘saved’ by the imperialists.

In other parts of Africa, NATO countries continue to bomb Somalia, orchestrate a genocide in the Eastern part of Congo and cripple the economies of Eritrea, Central African Republic and Zimbabwe through brutal sanctions. Today France still controls the economies of 14 African countries through the colonial currency, the CFA franc. To compare Russia to the imperialists, is to deny the savage crimes they have committed and continue to commit against Africa. NATO, led by the United States of America, is the single greatest enemy of the African continent. 

The reflex to view Russia as an enemy is by design. From a young age, the American entertainment industry— a crucial arm of western imperialism— has prepared us to view Russians as inherently cruel, corrupt, and criminal. The most common Russian stereotypes in American Media reflect the political context of America and Russia. During the cold war, Russians were depicted as secret agents, supervillains and nuclear threats. Post Cold-War, the image shifted to Russians as symbols of lawlessness, organized crime, and governmental corruption. Today, America continues to project its imperial anxieties onto the Russian people by portraying them as technological hackers, gangsters and corrupt Russian oligarchs. These Hollywood stereotypes carry over into imperialist news outlets such as CNN, BBC and France24 that proliferate russophobia by distorting and sensationalizing information from that country. While Russia is painted as the villain, imperialist countries are portrayed as defenders and saviors of humanity. This is all designed to manufacture bias against Russia and sanitize the image of our enemies. To make us fear an alleged future colonization by Russia and ignore the current colonial powers who continue to expand their occupation of our continent and murder our people. 

Perhaps your first question now is: Why would the West put in so much resources and energy against Russia and why should it concern Africans? Because Africa will be free, but not in isolation and our enemies know that. We need partners who will respect our sovereignty and share our struggle against western imperialism. After several centuries of underdevelopment at the hands of the imperialist camp, Africa is scientifically and technologically underdeveloped. 

Without assistance in waging our struggle for genuine sovereignty, the price in blood would be extremely high. The emergence of Russia and China has opened a path that will benefit all colonized people fighting for their emancipation. The multipolar world is back and similar to the time of the counter hegemonic presence of the Soviet Union, it will allow for great strides for the liberation movements in the struggle for Pan-Africanism. 

Under US/NATO-hegemony, African countries have limited choice but to align with the nations that oppress them due to the fear of economic intimidation and/or military aggression. A multipolar world reduces this vulnerability and gives African countries more choice and flexibility in how they decide to engage on the world stage. In addition, African countries are able to express their sovereignty by allowing the people's needs and voices to guide the economic and social policies of their country. This sort of self determination is difficult when our continent lives under the fear of displeasing the imperialists who could ‘punish’ them with impunity.

Today, the world is divided into two camps, the imperialist camp and the anti-imperialist camp. Russia is a long time member of the latter and Africa has the greatest potential to destroy the former. After all, the strength of the imperialist camp lies in its exploitation of African resources, both material and human. A partnership between Africa and Russia allows for greater progress in the Pan-African struggle which then accelerates the demise of the imperialist camp. Like the great Pan-Africanist Ahmed Sékou Touré stated, imperialism will find its grave in Africa. If we are to live up to our historical duty to bring about that outcome, then we must stop deceiving ourselves by thinking that Africa should free itself using only its current internal capacities. We must also not be deceived by our enemies, the imperialists and their lackeys, who wish to stop us from developing strategic relationships. The multipolar world is here and if Africa is to play a critical role in it then we must strengthen our ties with new powers like Russia, China and Iran and advance our struggle to liberate our continent.