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Russia and the rise of Islamic terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa

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  • Kohnert, Dirk

Abstract

Russia and China challenge the liberal order and rule of law on a global and regional level. The Trump administration has facilitated the support of the move away from the liberal international order and the "Westphalian" system of states that America had defended for centuries. Extremism is thriving around the world, including in sub-Saharan Africa, fuelled by the aftermath of colonialism, poverty and Islamist ideologies. Regions with limited statehood became failed states where violent conflicts threatened regional security and stability. Russia benefited from the resulting power vacuum. Moscow focused on countries that were formerly French and Portuguese colonies, which Moscow believed are easier to infiltrate. Under these conditions, Putin is free to exploit the political and social contradictions in Africa and destabilize the Western order, even at the risk of the rise of Islamic terrorism. Terrorist criminal pipelines and corrupt states have been exploited by Russian arms dealers across Africa for decades. These included notorious support for the Taylor regime in Liberia in the early 2000s, including the infamous Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, dubbed the ‘merchant of death’. The cooperation was based on state control of ports of entry and exit for criminal organizations to safeguard profit-sharing, diplomatic passports, including associated immunity, and the rule of law, which ensured the smooth marketing of these companies. Today, Russia benefits primarily from providing “security” to autocratic leaders, including arms sales, advice and training in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations against Islamic terrorism in exchange for access to African resources and markets. Aside from Al-Quida, the Islamic State (ISIS), Boko Haram other local Islamic organizations are fuelling terrorism in SSA. Moscow is particularly interested in the Horn of Africa to control important trade routes of global importance.

Suggested Citation

  • Kohnert, Dirk, 2022. "Russia and the rise of Islamic terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa," EconStor Preprints 301059, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:esprep:301059
    DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6598148
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kohnert, Dirk & Marfaing, Laurence, 2019. "Senegal: Presidential elections 2019 - The shining example of democratic transition immersed in muddy power-politics," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 53(2), pages 355-366.
    2. Kohnert, Dirk, 1986. "The Transformation of Rural Labour Systems in Colonial and Post-Colonial Northern Nigeria," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 13(4), pages 258-271.
    3. Kohnert, Dirk, 2022. "The impact of Russian presence in Africa," MPRA Paper 112564, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Kohnert, Dirk, 2005. "African Monetary Unions - Dominated by the North? On the Relevance of Rational Economic Reasoning Under African Conditions," MPRA Paper 82083, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kohnert, Dirk, 2023. "The impact of Israel's Sub-Saharan relations on African migrants in Israel," EconStor Preprints 300913, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    2. Kohnert, Dirk, 2023. "The impact of foreign relations between Sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab Golf states on African migrants in the region," EconStor Preprints 300911, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    3. Kohnert, Dirk, 2024. "Navigating Rivalries: Prospects for Coexistence between ECOWAS and AES in West Africa," MPRA Paper 121554, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Kohnert, Dirk, 2023. "L'impact des relations extérieures entre l'Afrique subsaharienne et les États arabes du Golfe sur les migrants africains dans la région," EconStor Preprints 300912, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Russia; Islamist terrorism; Sub-Sahara Africa; ISIS; arms deals; fake news; Post-colonialism; Westphalian sovereignty;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E26 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Informal Economy; Underground Economy
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F55 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Institutional Arrangements
    • H56 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - National Security and War
    • N17 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Africa; Oceania
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State
    • P26 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Property Rights

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