US Losing Footprint Across Africa as Niger, Chad Demand Military Forces Pullouts
© AP Photo / Carley Petesch
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States is rapidly losing influence across Africa and its military footprint on the continent is shrinking following the announcements of troop withdrawals from Niger and Chad that could serve as a catalyst for other countries to follow suit, analysts told Sputnik.
The United States will begin to withdraw its troops from Chad and Niger after the two African countries demanded that the US forces leave. There are around 1,100 US personnel in Niger and about 100 in Chad.
These developments were not isolated events but had a profound wider significance that was recognized across the continent, said Tunde Osazua, a member of the Black Alliance for Peace human rights project.
"The withdrawal of the US military from Niger and Chad is an immensely significant development. It signals a potential shift in dynamics across Africa, particularly in strengthening and acting on existing anti-imperialist sentiment," Osazua said.
These latest developments served to accelerate an already strong trend of eroding US standing across Africa, as exemplified by the declining US footprint across the continent, he said.
"The formation of the Alliance of Sahel States is a testament to the resonance of this sentiment and the growing assertiveness of African nations in shaping their own destinies," Osazua said.
Osazua added that it was crucial to recognize that the United States, through its interventions and actions, had played a significant role in fueling instability in the region.
"The aftermath of the war in Libya stands as a stark reminder of the consequences of US involvement and its implications for regional stability," Osazua said.
The conditions sustained by neocolonialism in Africa rendered it increasingly untenable for the United States to maintain its traditional relationships with the continent, he said.
"As the grip of neocolonialism weakens, the US finds itself in a state of desperation, grappling with the loss of influence and relevance in the region," Osazua said.
African Countries Shifting From the US Influence
The consequences of African countries shifting away from US influence were likely to be multifaceted and would unfold over time, he said.
"One significant outcome could be the opportunity for African countries to explore alternative economic and political relationships with other world powers, such as China and Russia. This diversification of partnerships may pave the way for greater economic stability," Osazua added.
Campaign to End the Moroccan Occupation of the Western Sahara Co-Coordinator Bill Fletcher agreed that the latest developments in Chad and Niger had far wider implications across Africa.
"There is a multilevel crisis in the Sahel. Part of it is a revolt against France. There is also a major jihadist insurgency underway in multiple countries," Fletcher said.
According to former vice president of the Eurasia Group and retired US Army Lt. Col. Earl Rasmussen, the developments in Chad were yet another indication of the waning influence of the United States in Africa.
However, Rasmussen cautioned that it would be some time before any real US withdrawal of forces from Chad could be confirmed.
"Will we really leave and when? I would hesitate to give an answer. I am sure, as in Niger, we will work the agreement such that there is a planning time, and an orderly withdrawal […]. Orderly meaning potentially never," he said.
Nevertheless, it was already clear that the influence of the United States and the West in general was diminishing across Africa, he said.
"I believe Africa is awakening and hopefully will realize their true potential, which I believe is very great," Rasmussen added.
