France Sees Africa as Its Backyard, Russia Brings New Security Options, Ethiopian Expert Says
France Sees Africa as Its Backyard, Russia Brings New Security Options, Ethiopian Expert Says
Instability in the Sahel cannot be separated from long-standing Western interference in African affairs, Mulualem Hailemariam, a lecturer of political science and international relations at Wachemo University, told Sputnik Africa.
France and other Western powers have often prioritized their own interests over local stability, he argued, noting that they “interfere in the internal affairs of African countries” and have no right to decide “these are undesirable leaders, these are desirable.”
According to him, external actors have at times supported political factions and armed groups when leaders challenged Western interests, contributing to coups and unrest.
Paris’s actions reflect a lingering colonial mindset, with parts of Africa still viewed as a “strategic backyard,” Hailemariam said. Moreover, Russian intelligence reports about covert efforts to remove unfriendly leaders point to “new colonial ambition.”
At the same time, he highlighted Russia’s growing role in the region, describing it as an alternative partner for many African states.
He said cooperation with Moscow helps diversify suppliers and reduce dependence on Western countries, whose arms deals often come with “strict conditionality” and heavy bureaucracy.
“Russia’s arms deal often come with fewer political strings,” he noted, arguing that this gives African states more flexibility and “greater ownership over their defense choices.”
However, Hailemariam stressed that the Sahel crisis “is fundamentally about African reconstruction under pressure,” emphasizing that while external powers matter, “African agency matters more.”
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