Russia extends influence in Africa beyond military

Russia is expanding its network of cultural and educational centres in Africa as it seeks to strengthen ties beyond its military and security co-operation on the continent, reports BBC News. The centres will promote the Russian language, education, science and culture, while supporting various projects, Russia's humanitarian agency said. Known as ‘Russian Houses’, eight of 11 new centres are due to open in Africa, where 16 have already been set up over the years. Russia's state-controlled paramilitary force African Corps, which replaced the Wagner Group's mercenary operations, has become a key security partner for multiple military governments in the West Africa in the fight against jihadist insurgencies. This year has also seen a surge in the reported number of African fighters caught up in the Russia-Ukraine war. Kenya, which has seen some of the highest numbers of recruits, blamed job agencies for luring men to Russia with work opportunities, only for them to end up fighting in Ukraine. According to Russia's humanitarian agency Rossotrudnichestvo, Russia now aims to cultivate longer-term relationships through scholarships, universities, language programmes, cultural events and exchanges. The new centres are due to open in the DRC, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. The agency also wants stronger partner organisations to operate the Russian Houses across different African countries, to create what it described as a ‘full-fledged international network’. To support the growth, Rossotrudnichestvo said it had signed a separate agreement with the Association for Economic Co-operation with African Countries. This a Russia-Africa trade and business networking body set up by Russia's President Vladimir Putin in 2020 – part of broader Russian efforts to maintain and build relationships with countries outside the West.