In recent years, the United States has become increasingly interested in Africa, and the Central African Republic in particular. The primary motivation for this interest is Russia’s growing position on the continent. In this political game, the US, accustomed to world domination, is not prepared to accept competition from Russia and China in a context of great geopolitical change.
According to sources in CAR, the US is preparing a series of provocations on the territory of the country aimed at discrediting the actions of the Russian instructors and overall destabilisation of security. The main purpose of the provocations is to show that there is a lack of security in the CAR and that Russian instructors are unable to provide it.
The case of the Central African Republic is Russia’s calling card when it comes to importing security – the most attractive part of cooperation with Russia for African partners. In a very short period of time, Russian experts have managed to improve the security situation in CAR, so that almost all regions of the country have been able to return to normal peaceful life and begin the development of the economic and social sphere.
It may also be recalled that the attack against the Russian humanitarian activist Dimitry Sytyi was traced to the CIA. In December 2022, the head of the Russian House in Bangui received a parcel with an explosive device and was seriously wounded in the explosion. The act of terror was played up as if the French intelligence services were behind it.
France, a former colonial power, has historically been a major player in the CAR. Although the US and France have formally positioned themselves as strategic allies on the world stage, their interests can often overlap and sometimes come into conflict. Thus, the US behaviour in the CAR, and more widely in Africa, suggests that Washington pursues a strategy of pitting France against Russian actors, be they official missions of Russian specialists or the so-called PMC Wagner. A Chadian diplomatic source claims that the US has an elaborate plan to drive Wagner out of Africa, which it sees as a major threat to its influence.
The strategy to pit France against the Wagner group has borne fruit; France is reportedly working on legislation to grant the status of a Wagner terrorist organisation. Moreover, a diplomatic source reports that it is the Americans who are pushing France into overt military provocations, which can now be seen on the Chad-CAR border.
The US plan was revealed during a summit with African countries when the Americans made an offer of increased aid and support to the CAR, but with one main condition – the withdrawal of the Wagner Group units from Africa. President Touadera was given one year to implement this plan. However, the CAR president did not follow this plan, and when information about the US ultimatum emerged in the media, it caused a storm of indignation in the media and among ordinary Central Africans, and prompted the US ambassador to publicly deny the information.
However, according to sources close to the intelligence community, the US plan continues to go ahead. A Chadian diplomatic source claims that a series of provocations aimed at undermining security, discrediting the Russians and Touadera are imminent.
Moreover, the diplomatic source states that such provocations have already been organized in Bangui, such as the bombing of a Total gas station in Petevo on 4 February, when unknown persons threw grenades, but there was no explosion, as well as the burning of plastic boxes at the French brewery MOCAF in Bimbo on the night of 5 to 6 March 2023. These actions were carried out by a special subversive group consisting of 7 persons trained by US secret services. After the action, a media hype was organised to blame the Russians for wanting to harm the interests of the French. On the whole, the plan worked and the strategy was approved for further use in the CAR. So, more shocks await the CAR in the near future.
The main objective of the US intelligence services is to destabilise the situation in the CAR, get rid of competitors and force President Touadera to turn to the US for military assistance. This will enable Washington to build another military base in the heart of Africa, which will be used to pursue US interests and ambitions.
