Russia

Concerns about the Russian partner increase after several investigations into abuses committed by the paramilitaries in the Central African Republic. RFI had published a survey in May that revealed the methods used. Last week, it was CNN, in collaboration with the organization The Sentry, that published a large format on the subject.…

France on Friday criticized Russia over what it called a "takeover" of the Central African Republic. Paris also acknowledged that the African country's cooperation with Russian "mercenaries" had led France to reduce its military support. Earlier this month, the French military suspended budget support and military cooperation with the Central African Republic and accused its government of being "involved" in an anti-French disinformation campaign with Russia. The Central African Republic has become a…

Just over three months ago, the UN expert group on mercenaries sounded the alarm about serious "human rights violations" that can be attributed to Russian paramilitaries in the Central African Republic. Experts condemned the authorities' increased use of these private security companies, which had been the target of a new uprising since the December election.…

France has suspended aid and military cooperation in the Central African Republic because of what it says is the government's failure to stop "massive disinformation campaigns" aimed at its officials, the Ministry of Armed Forces said. France has cut 10 million euros ($ 12.18 million) in budget support for its former colony and stopped direct military cooperation, the ministry told Reuters in an email on Tuesday. "A number of commitments made by the Central African authorities to France have not been…

Officials representing Turkey, Russia and the UN discussed the Libya issue at a meeting in the Russian capital Moscow on Monday. Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's special envoy to the Middle East and Africa, Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Önal and Jan Kubis, UN special envoy to Libya, met in Moscow on Monday, according to a statement from the Kremlin. At the meeting, they stressed the need to strengthen international initiatives under UN supervision to support the forthcoming elections in Libya.…

Launched in mid-May in Bangui, the film Tourist is now available on Russian broadcast platforms. Its goal: to praise the Russian intervention in the CAR and the "instructors" sent by Moscow to support President Faustin-Archange Touadéra against the rebels of the CPC (Coalition of Patriots for Change). A film halfway between fiction, reality and propaganda, which would be funded directly by the Wagner group according to the Russian press,…

Sudan has begun a review of an agreement to build a Russian naval base after certain clauses proved "slightly harmful", a military official said. For decades, Sudan has been militarily dependent on Russia for crippling sanctions imposed by Washington against the now-ousted President Omar al-Bashir. But since he crashed in 2019, Sudan has moved closer to the United States, removing Khartoum from its crippling blacklist last year. "This deal was signed under the previous National Salvation Government,"…

In an interview with the Journal du Dimanche (JDD), published this weekend, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke about the anti-French sentiment in the Central African Republic, which he said was being exploited by a private military group linked to Russia. A reference to the private military company Wagner, a group that has no legal existence but has close ties to the Kremlin, say observers and whose…

Within the Central African Republic, the Minister of Nationwide Protection and Rebuilding of the Military despatched a message to the UN Safety Council outlining its intention to make one other 600 Russian instructors out there to the Protection and Safety Forces. The UN Council Decision, which has been in power since December…

In Chad, three weeks after Idriss Deby's loss of life on a battlefield, many are questioning concerning the function of Marshal Haftar's Libyan and Vladimir Putin's Russians within the insurgent offensive that was deadly for the Chadian president. Was there a Benghazi and Moscow conspiracy in opposition to Ndjamena? Was it additionally the need to weaken Paris? And why didn't Paris reply? Jalel Harchaoui is a researcher on the NGO World Initiative, primarily based in Geneva. He solutions the questions from Christophe…