WHY IS RUSSIA IN AFRICA?

There has been much attention given to democratic backsliding in Africa in recent years. According to Freedom House, 31 African countries have seen their democracy scores decline over the past 5 years. Less well appreciated is the role that external authoritarian actors have played in facilitating this deterioration. Russia stands out in this regard. Among other aims, undermining democracy has been a strategic objective of Russia’s Africa policy for the past two decades. Authoritarian governments lacking domestic checks and balances provide permissive environments for enabling Russian influence on the continent. Normalizing authoritarianism abroad, meanwhile, validates Russia’s nondemocratic governance practices at home.

Russia’s disruption of democratic processes occurs through both official channels (such as blocking UN resolutions condemning African regimes’ human rights abuses or fraudulent electoral claims) and irregular means (such as disinformation campaigns targeting democratic proponents, election interference, the deployment of Wagner paramilitary forces, or illicit arms for resources deals). As the nature of these irregular interventions is intentionally opaque, the depth of Russian intervention is often unclear. Nonetheless, the breadth of Russia’s efforts to undermine democracy in Africa is remarkable, having actively deployed at least one of these tools in 23 African countries spanning the continent.

The effect of these interventions is to thwart the aspirations of the three-quarters of African citizens who want to see democracy flourish in their countries, thereby weakening African voices, sovereignty, and selfdetermination.

Highlights

Russian interference to undercut democracy in Africa occurs across a range of methods with disinformation (17 countries targeted), electoral interference (15), and support for extraconstitutional claims on power (14) being most common.

Russia’s methods of democratic interference in Africa tend to be reinforcing. Disinformation campaigns are nearly always accompanied by efforts to interfere in elections to keep Moscow-friendly regimes in power, to support their extended tenures in office beyond constitutionally mandated term limits, or to validate coups.

Russia primarily targets African countries with relatively weak democratic institutions. The median Freedom House freedom score (on a scale of 0-100) for African countries in which Russia is actively undermining democracy is a 28. This compares to a median score of 51 (nearly double) for African countries that Russia is not recognized as undermining.

In African countries where Russia is most active (i.e., engaging in four or five of the identified undermining elements), the median freedom score is just 19. Russia is, thus, helping prevent political rights, civil liberties, and checks and balances on the executive branch from gaining traction in some of the continent’s most enduring authoritarian systems. As a result, despite massive popular protests for democracy in places like Algeria, Guinea, Sudan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, exclusionary regimes persist.

The notable exception to this pattern of targeting countries with weak democratic institutions is South Africa, which is recognized as having some of the strongest checks and balances on the continent. This reflects the opening Russia perceives it can exploit to co-opt South African leaders and gain further influence.

11 of the 23 African countries where Russia is actively undermining democracy are in conflict. This represents three-fourths of all African countries in conflict. Many of these conflicts are internal, resulting from the unwillingness of ruling parties to share power. Russia’s thwarting of democracy in these countries is effectively prolonging these conflicts by blocking mediated political solutions. Russian support to the military government in Sudan, for example, helped derail the planned democratic transition there, precipitating the ensuing conflict. Non-coincidentally, 7 out of the 10 African countries with the highest levels of forced population displacements have been targets of Russian interventions to undercut democracy.

By the Africa Center for Strategic Studies June 21, 2023

Is Egypt in Africa? This is a thorny question that is always a puzzle for many, and there is still confusion over the years. The Northern African country is almost on a continent tug of war.

Is it in Africa or Asia? Here is the truth about it all.

Is Egypt Considered a Part of Africa?

Egypt is what we call a transcontinental country. It sits in both Africa and Asia. However, the most significant part of Egypt is in Africa, which is why most consider it Africa. The other small piece of Egypt is in Asia.

Egypt is one of the world’s oldest nations. The Mediterranean Sea separates Egypt from Europe. Palestrina, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Red Sea separate Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan from the east. Egypt is also bordered on the south by Sudan and the west by Libya.

So when answering [if] Egypt is in Africa, bear in mind that it straddles Africa and Asia.

Is Egypt in Both Africa and Asia?

Egypt is both in Africa and Asia. It finds itself in the middle of the East and West Suez canal. There are only three other countries in the world that find themselves in such a unique positioning.

While many continue exploring the subject on is Egypt in Africa, just know that it is and is a member of the African Union. It joined in 1963. Due to the other part of Egypt being in Asia, they are also a member of the Arab league.

Is Egypt Part of Africa or Middle East?

In the case of Middle Eastern countries, people frequently refer to those closest to Africa (Egypt) as African. At the same time, those closest to Asia (like Oman, Iran, Iraq, etc.) are Asian. They are, however, collectively known as the Middle East.

Egypt’s Asian portion was once a desert where the seminomadic Bedouin tribe lived. According to legend, this is the land where Moses and the entire Hebrew nation wandered for 40 years.

The Asian region of Egypt is sparsely populated, with the canal on one side and a barrier on the other. This first fuels the debate seeking answers to is Egypt in Africa?

Some argue that it is in Europe. The Europe theory is because ancient European kingdoms dominated and settled in Egypt for many years. To make this clear for all, Egypt is not in Europe. Ancient Egypt was part of the Nile valley civilization. The civilisation evolved from the upper Nile in Africa to northeast Africa.

What Do Egyptians Call Egypt?

People may not see Egyptians as Afro ethnic, which probably makes them feel like they can not claim the African title. Some do not relate to Africa, and so deny the identification. But Africa claims them and is proud to have Egypt as one of them. With geography usually winning the argument, we can not discount the Asian ties. The sub-Saharan landscape of Egypt’s west and south has long been difficult to traverse. Still, the Sinai Peninsula provided a more direct route to Asia. This allowed more trade and commerce to move across land and better relations with Asian and Middle Eastern countries. It had a more significant influence on Egypt’s culture, customs, food, and way of life than in Africa.

Egypt had closer links with the Indian subcontinent and Europe. Thanks to its 1,522-mile coastline and access to the Mediterranean and Red seas, this influenced Egypt. When they created the Suez Canal, Egypt and the rest of Asia and the Middle East became even closer. This as a result of increased commerce and cultural interaction. As a result, Egypt remains part of Africa physically. Still, it may be called Asian or even Middle Eastern in all other respects. This is, however, a question of opinion rather than fact.

By See Africa Today May 22, 2022

Egypt’s African identity

Egypt’s affiliation with its African surroundings goes beyond the traditional geographical and historical dimensions, as this affiliation has been a major component of Egyptian identity throughout the ages. It is a pivotal element in shaping the cultural features of the Egyptian personality, an identity that was formed from a mixture of the Arabic language and Islamic, Coptic, Mediterranean, and African backgrounds.

Egypt has never been cut off from the African continent during the various periods of its history. However, the last few years have been characterised by an increase in its activity there, not only in the Nile Basin region, but also in the heart of the continent through the African Union (AU), which Egypt has chaired since February 2019. Egypt’s presidential diplomacy has also brought about a renaissance in African relations.

Egyptian support for human development efforts in the various countries of the African continent has become ever more evident and reflects Egypt’s awareness of its African identity. This has taken place through the dispatching of thousands of Egyptian experts, the reception of thousands of African citizens for training in Egypt, and the diversity of fields and interests of the Technical Fund for Cooperation with Africa of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The latter has worked on judicial cooperation, police cooperation, educational programmes, medical aid, food aid, and courses for African diplomats.

Egypt is working in parallel to deepen relations with the African continent through various agreements and projects and the implementation of many infrastructure and logistics programmes in the heart of the continent. The national carrier EgyptAir has signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a Ghanaian national airline with joint investment that will provide services to more than 80 countries around the world, for example.

To avoid the high economic price incurred by countries due to restrictions on border relations and the movement of people across borders, as well as to encourage projects in the field of water resources and irrigation, Cairo is working on the construction of a hydroelectric dam in Tanzania. The Arab Contractors Company is also implementing projects in 23 African countries through a huge investment package estimated at $1.5 billion, and there is also an electrical interconnection project between Africa and Europe being sponsored by Egypt.

Egypt has signed 19 military agreements with African countries, underlining the fact that Cairo is distinguished by the presence of a large number of African military personnel who receive training at the Nasser Academy in the capital every year. Egyptian diplomatic initiatives over the last two years reflect Egypt’s openness to Africa within the framework of the intensification of parallel plans on several levels.

On the educational level, Egypt is opening the door to giving more scholarships and offering various grants in its universities and institutes to African students. There are currently more than 10,000 African students on government scholarships in Egypt, in addition to others studying at their own expense.

Economically, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will create sustainable opportunities and open the door to mutual benefits between Egypt and the African countries. Cairo is also an active member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). This is the largest economic grouping on the African continent and allows for the exchange of goods and services without customs duties or administrative obstacles.

Diplomatic initiatives on the continent over the past two years have paralleled what happened in previous decades since Cairo established major assets in Africa during the rule of former president Gamal Abdel-Nasser and the fruits of these continued to be reaped during the subsequent rule of former presidents Al-Sadat and Mubarak.

There are now more and more opportunities in Africa after decades of comparative retreat. These include economic cooperation and the exchange of experiences and actions to protect water security.

Cairo should pay more attention to shifting cooperation from the hierarchical level led by diplomatic summits to intensifying the Egyptian role in social, cultural, and media areas in order to achieve a sustainable presence in Africa. The media should play more of a role in encouraging businessmen to exploit opportunities for cooperation and introduce Egyptian products to African markets. Especially in the light of the US and Russian rush to work on the continent, this would make Egypt a centre for cooperation by these powers with Africa in order to achieve mutual benefits.

Among the aspects of Egypt’s AU presidency has been the launch of the operational phase of the African Free Trade Zone, the signing of 13 memoranda of understanding and agreements worth $3 billion in the activities of the Africa Forum, and the doubling of the activities of the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development in Africa.

The intensity of these developments in EgyptianAfrican relations has shown that Egypt’s moves are not based on Egyptian strategic interests alone, but instead are based on a broader and deeper framework intended to fight negative perceptions as a new starting point in relations towards the continent. This breakthrough has been based on deepening the country’s African identity, advancing integration among the countries of the continent, erasing any negative or exclusionary images of African Arabs, and providing direct connections to building a common awareness of the continent’s issues and challenges.

Many efforts have been made to bring together Egyptian and African young people, including the Africa Summer School that will prepare young leaders from Egypt and Africa and change any persisting stereotypes. It will help to introduce African institutions and cultures in Egypt and promote effective communication between the peoples of the continent.

The vision and objectives of the Africa School are based on three levels: Egypt’s Vision 2030 at the national level; Africa’s Agenda 2063 at the continental level; and the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals at the international level. These make the School a pioneering experiment in the framework of cultural exchange and the deepening of identity between Egypt and the African countries.

Africa today is not the Africa of yesterday. Our circumstances, situations, problems, and challenges have many similarities and common concerns. The peoples of the African continent are looking for peace and a decent life. Africans are ready to open their doors to cooperation and to a fair division of legitimate gains between them and investors from outside.

Africa is a continent that is able to absorb huge investments. Our roots in the African continent are deep, and our history with it is an honourable one. Egypt has a great role to play in the heart of Africa. Our task now should be to return to these roots and to play the role that we used to play throughout our ancient, mediaeval, and modern history of helping and supporting the countries of the African continent as much as we can.

We have visions and experiences that can add to this continent, which is what Egypt seeks in helping to make its development a tangible reality.

Ahmad