In recent years, Africa has emerged as the focal point of global competition, with major powers vying for influence over the continent. The abundance of natural resources, a young and growing population and untapped economic potential have drawn the attention of global actors, including China, Russia, the United States and the European Union. Africa is now a crucial arena where these global powers seek to extend their geopolitical influence, economic investments and strategic interests. However, the approaches of China and Russia, in particular, have begun to overshadow those of the West, as both nations use unique and sometimes complementary strategies to assert dominance over the continent.
China's engagement in Africa is motivated by economic objectives, which are mostly expressed in its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI has resulted in huge infrastructure investments throughout Africa focused on roads, trains, ports and electricity. China's trade relationship with the continent has exponentially developed, with bilateral trade reaching up to $262 billion in 2022, making it Africa's largest trading partner. Its policy based on large-scale investment and a "no-strings-attached" philosophy, provides development initiatives free of the governance conditionalities that the West frequently imposes.
In addition to its economic impact, Beijing is expanding its influence by protecting its substantial investments and the estimated 1 million Chinese nationals residing across Africa. China has deployed more than 20 private security organizations in over 30 African countries like Nigeria and South Africa, where Chinese expatriates are prevalent. These security services, which are primarily provided by Chinese corporations that provide risk assessments, training and economic asset protection, demonstrate Beijing's emphasis on protecting its burgeoning interests on the continent.
However, China's engagement has limitations. While Beijing's private security firms are becoming more widespread in Africa, they avoid high-risk conflict zones like Mali and the Central African Republic, reflecting China's cautious approach to direct involvement in unstable regions. Despite these restrictions, China's security presence, while frequently perceived as distinct from its state apparatus, is inextricably linked to the Chinese government, which employs these corporations to expand its geopolitical reach gradually.
While China relies on economic investments and prudent security engagements, Russia has adopted a considerably more assertive and militaristic strategy in Africa. Moscow's influence is based on its use of private military contractors (PMCs), most notably the Wagner Group, which has been renamed the "Africa Corps" following the death of its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin. These PMCs provide a means for Russia to project influence across the continent at a relatively low cost while maintaining plausible denial about its direct involvement.
Russia's private military presence is heavily concentrated in conflict zones, where it provides security services to governments facing insurgencies or civil unrest. In return, Moscow frequently receives lucrative contracts, including access to natural resources like gold and diamonds or vital military bases. The Africa Corps, which is now under the Russian Ministry of Defense, demonstrates Moscow's growing determination to tighten control over its African operations. This militarized strategy not only allows Russia to maintain a substantial presence in Africa but also advances its larger geopolitical aspirations of challenging Western hegemony.
Unlike China, Russia does not avoid entering conflict-ridden zones. Russian PMCs have come into countries where conventional Western actors have retreated, such as Mali and the Central African Republic, frequently providing military aid in exchange for political and economic concessions. This approach is consistent with Moscow's ambition to be perceived as a major power and to counterbalance the West's influence in international security concerns.
While China and Russia strengthen their ties with Africa, Western powers find themselves increasingly marginalized on the continent. For decades, Western engagement in Africa has consisted of foreign aid, military interventions and development assistance linked to governance reforms and democratic principles. However, this approach has drawn criticism for being paternalistic and perpetuating a neo-colonial relationship. Military interventions, particularly in Libya and the Sahel, have frequently resulted in long-term instability rather than security, exacerbating anti-Western sentiment in many African countries.
The West's challenge to maintain relevance in Africa is exacerbated by its inability to adapt to the continent's shifting requirements. African countries are now looking for diverse partnerships providing them with more immediate advantages without the political strings attached to Western aid. This shift has enabled China and Russia to promote themselves as more trusted allies giving economic or military support under less stringent conditions.
For example, African countries seeking to maintain internal sovereignty are finding China's economic initiatives and Russia's military engagement to be increasingly attractive. Conversely, it is thought that Western countries prioritize short-term security gains and economic exploitation above long-term development or security alliances that benefit African populations.
A new map of influence over Africa has been created by the competition between China, Russia and the West. China's measured and commercially oriented approach prioritizes long-term growth via trade and infrastructure, whereas Russia's militaristic policy is concentrated on achieving immediate strategic benefits in conflict areas. For its part, the West finds itself torn between these two rising powers and has not yet redefined its commitment in a way that resonates with African nations today.
This international rivalry offers opportunities as well as difficulties for African nations. African leaders can, on the one hand, take advantage of the competition among China, Russia and the West to negotiate better terms and investments supporting their countries' development objectives. However, the increasing influence of foreign powers prompts worries about the potential loss of sovereignty and the risks associated with over-reliance on foreign actors for security and development.
As major nations continue to amplify their impact, Africa's significance as a geopolitical battleground is expected to increase in the coming years. The West's quest for relevance, Russia's military assertiveness, and China's economic expansion will determine the course of the continent's internal development and international relations. However, the way African leaders manage these conflicting forces and their capacity to create alliances that support not only economic expansion and security but also the independence and stability of the continent's states will ultimately be determinants in shaping Africa’s future. Global powers must adjust their strategies for win-win partnerships
As China and Russia extend their reach across Africa, the West faces an existential challenge to its traditional role on the continent. Its traditional position on the continent is under threat from China and Russia as they expand their influence throughout Africa. China’s Belt and Road Initiative, bolstered by private security deployments, and Russia’s use of private military contractors represent significant shifts in Africa’s geopolitical landscape. For the West to maintain a meaningful presence in Africa, it will need to rethink its approach, emphasizing partnerships that reflect the aspirations of African nations, rather than focusing solely on short-term security or economic gains. Overall, the degree to which these superpowers can successfully modify their plans to accommodate the changing demands and objectives of the continent will determine how Africa's international relations develop in the future.
