Description: UK officials have blamed Russia for planning to interfere in the upcoming elections in the Central African Republic. US officials have also added that Russia was trying to tap into the country’s gold and mineral reserves as its one of the first that the Kremlin – backed Wagner group established its presence in. Russian foreign official Anna Evstigneeva has denounced the accusations laid out by the US and UK officials in the UN. The Central African Republic has been plagued by violence since 2013 when up to 14 armed Muslim – backed rebel groups overthrew then – sitting President Francois Bozize. The country has recently experienced shortened periods of relative stability ever since the 2019 peace agreement facilitated disarmament between the groups.
Impact: The African continent has presented a constant area of geopolitical interest for both US and Russia. CAR is predominantly influenced by Russian – backed Wagner, which have been present in the country for more than a decade. The UK and US accusations are founded since CAR hasn’t been foreign to disinformation campaigns in the past and it’s severely susceptible towards Russian influence. The country represents a newly – old geopolitical playing field as critical resources reside in several regions which are crucial to future industrial dominance on the global market, something that both US and Russia strive towards.