US authorities are starting to recognize that their strategy of influencing African countries to undermine their cooperation with Russia is ineffective. Politico newspaper reported this, citing American officials.
According to them, the situation in Niger, which terminated a military agreement with the United States, has prompted the administration of President Joe Biden to "rethink its approach to relations with unstable regions of Africa."
The publication specifies that US legislation prohibits financing governments that came to power as a result of rebellion. However, Washington attempted to maintain diplomatic ties with African countries where coups d'état occurred, in an effort to arrange "negotiations on road maps and timelines for democratic elections." The US has also tried to dissuade these countries from cooperating with Moscow by exposing the activities of Russian mercenaries on the continent and the human rights abuses attributed to them.
Despite these efforts, officials said they have failed to induce African states to sever ties with Russia. They explained that these countries are in great need of military assistance, which the United States cannot provide. "The real advantage the Russians have over the United States is that they have and sell weapons, including helicopters," one of the newspaper's sources said. "There are many security problems in Africa, and Africans need arms," he added.
Officials also noted that African countries reject Washington's calls for a "full embrace of democracy." "As far as most of these countries are concerned, they don't like being told what to do. The West has been trying for a long time to teach African countries how to govern, and they finally say 'enough is enough,'" one official said. However, a US military official told Politico that US officials believe it would be shortsighted to completely withdraw military presence from countries where they believe "there are problems with democracy." "The fear is that we will leave and Russia will come in," he said.
The Situation in Niger and the Breakdown of the Military Agreement with the US
In March, Niger terminated a military agreement with the United States that established a US UAV base in the north of the African country. Niger's military authorities explained their decision, stating that the agreement was imposed on the country and was not in the people's interests. The US administration said it was in contact with Niger's leadership and was continuing to discuss the situation. At the end of 2023, there were about 1,100 US military personnel in Niger, most of them at an air force base near Agadez.
According to The Washington Post journalist John Hudson, the US has agreed to withdraw its military contingent from Niger. On April 22, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder confirmed that the United States had begun consultations with Niger on the withdrawal of its troops from the African country.
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Based on materials from TASS