Information warfare: EU struggles to counter Russian propaganda in Africa

Willingness to discredit European action

The Russian Federation’s interest in Africa is not new, but its current role is quite different from that played by the former Soviet Union. Despite a growing presence, Russia remains a minor player. However, it has managed to make its presence particularly visible, notably through the intense use of propaganda and disinformation, based on a constellation of state media such as Russia Today or Sputnik, social networks (Facebook, Telegram, Twitter, etc.) and local media.

The Russian Federation’s will to expand its presence in Africa has been tangible for a decade but has accelerated since 2019. The organization of the first Russia-Africa summit in Solchi in October 2019, with the largest delegation of African leaders ever gathered, is a remarkable step.

Vladimir Putin made the absence of a colonial past a central element of Russian engagement on the continent, distinguishing himself from former colonies that « threaten African sovereign countries ».  The objectives are varied, but it is openly about « reversing the positions of European countries in Africa, namely France, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany » analyzes the researcher Sergey Sukhantin in 2020.

At the same time, it is about embellishing Russian support, talking about donations when it comes to loans or even presenting itself as the main support in the fight against Ebola or Covid-19 while the European Union is the main donor in these areas. 

According to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Russian disinformation campaigns are present on almost the entire continent.

Military operations under fire

Security is one area where Russia is particularly active. As early as 2015, an internal document of the German Ministry of Defence pointed out the multiplication of military agreements between Russia and African states. Since then, Russia has accelerated its arms deliveries and the deployment of trainers (via the paramilitary group Wagner), taking advantage of every free space left by the West.

Before this implementation, and even more intensively as the Russian presence strengthens, Russian propaganda has targeted the military peace and security missions led by the UN or the European Union, notably in Mali and the Central African Republic, as detailed by NATO’s strategic communication centre.

In its communication, Russia presents these missions as ineffective, as interfering in national politics, or as responsible for attacks against civilians. This certainly fuels and exacerbates the rejection of these forces. On the contrary, Russian propaganda praises Wagner’s mercenaries’ actions.

A modest European reaction…

This phenomenon, which encourages anti-European sentiment and leads to the political destabilization of African countries, is a reason for concern to all 27 countries. But the Europeans are struggling to find a response. They have, for now, sanctioned several Wagner Group officials for their actions in the region. The EUTM Mali and EUTM CAR missions have also stopped training Malian and Central African soldiers. 

On the communication side, the Europeans have understood the need to act, to actively counter Russian propaganda. But they do so with some delay. Several options are being explored, including through the internal service of the European diplomatic service and its EU VS Desinfo cell. But the bulk of the effort is focused on campaigns in Europe, as shown by the report published on February 7 and the creation of a European centre for information sharing and analysis to track disinformation campaigns in the Union.

SOURCES: THE JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION, THE AFRICA CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES, NATO STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE, EURACTIV, RTS