Africa Archives - Robert Lansing Institute

Russia Expands Its “Russian Houses” Network in Africa — and Staffs It With Former Mercenaries

Yevgeny Primakov Jr., head of Rossotrudnichestvo, claims that the Wagner Group was involved in opening “Russian Houses” in the Central African Republic (CAR) and Mali. It is also reported that around 26…

January 13, 2026Africa, Russia, Wagner Group

Geopolitics Propaganda and Disinformation

Blocking Moscow’s Outreach: Preventing African Participation in the Russia–Africa Ministerial Conference

Participation of African countries in the Second Russia–Africa Ministerial Conference in Egypt carries both direct and indirect risks for their governments. These risks include being used in Kremlin propaganda and…

November 14, 2025Africa, Russia, Sanctions

Geopolitics

Vacuum of Influence: Western Withdrawal and the Rise of New Powers in Africa”

The major European countries and the United States have been drawing back from Africa since the end of the Cold War. The situation for the United States is somewhat different than…

October 24, 2025Africa, USA

Intelligence ops Propaganda and Disinformation Psyops

How Russian Propaganda Works in Africa: Structure, Operators, and Countermeasures

Russia’s growing presence in Africa has not only been achieved through traditional diplomacy and military cooperation, but also through a wide-ranging propaganda campaign. This information warfare, designed to cultivate pro-Russian…

August 4, 2025Africa, Russia, Wagner Group

Democracy Geopolitics War crimes

Russia and African Workers in the Defense Industry: A New Chapter in Neo-Colonialism

1. Introduction As the Kremlin confronts a labor shortage fueled by military mobilization and escalating economic isolation, Russia has increasingly turned to foreign nationals—especially from African nations—to sustain its defense-industrial…

June 17, 2025Africa, Russia

Must Read PDF

NON-STATE ARMED GROUPS AND ILLICIT ECONOMIES IN WEST AFRICA

his report explores how armed groups gain or lose become less necessary in shaping community behaviours that facilitate armed group operations. This report is the fourth in the ‘Non-state armed…

February 6, 2025Africa

Democracy ideology Intelligence ops Propaganda and Disinformation Psyops War crimes

Shadow Diplomacy: Russia’s Strategies to Whitewash Atrocities and Expand Influence in Africa

Russia has been actively working to whitewash its atrocities in Africa, leveraging a mix of propaganda, disinformation campaigns, diplomatic maneuvering, and economic influence. Despite accusations of human rights abuses and…

November 18, 2024Africa, Russia

Conflict Warfare

Kremlin’s Colonial and Racist Policies in Africa

The Kremlin benefits from its expansion and support for authoritarian regimes in the developing world to recruit and send people to fight on the side of Russia in the war…

June 14, 2024Africa, Russia, Ukraine

Democracy Healthcare

Liberia likely to join countries that criminalized FGM

Strong criticism of FGM decriminalization in The Gambia seems to have launched an effort to criminalize the practice in Liberia, as it violates the rights and freedoms of those who…

March 14, 2024Africa, FGM, Liberia

Geopolitics ideology Opinion

How Russia is hijacking Africa’s “orphaned” Left

When the independence of many African states became a reality in the 1950s and 1960s, it unfortunately met the Cold War ideological divide of the world. Many had expected these infant…

September 5, 2023Africa, Russia

Africa