With Africa-Russia Summit Kicking Off This Week, Judd Devermont Has Some Advice for How the U.S. Should Respond

The inaugural Russia-Africa Summit will take place on Wednesday and Thursday of this week in the Olympic city of Sochi near the Black Sea. Some 50 heads of state have been invited to what many regard as Russia’s formal re-entry into African geopolitics.

U.S. officials have become increasingly vocal with their concern over the past few years about both Russia and China’s growing influence in Africa. Who can forget former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s memorable “Prosper Africa” speech at the Heritage Foundation where he spoke menacingly of the need to challenge Russia and China on the continent? Similarly, the Pentagon has also provided a constant reminder for the need to be vigilant against the threat, in their view, posed by Beijing and Moscow’s deeper economic, political and military engagement across Africa.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Eric Olander

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
3
Chinese Cargo Planes Secretly Ferrying Supplies to Iran, Claim Online Sleuths
4
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
5 Trump’s Contradictory Iran Strategy Leaves U.S. Weaker After War’s End, Says Chinese Commentator
6
Thailand in Last-Minute U.S. Talks as 36% Tariff Looms

You Might Like

For the First Time in a Long Time, China Isn’t Looming in the Background of an Africa Summit… This Time It’s the U.S.

Over the past few years at various African summits organized by the Japanese, Europeans or Americans, China has emerged as a kind of benchmark that other foreign powers are now measured against in ...

With No Evidence, Some US & EU Media Frame Russia Summit as Move to Challenge Chinese Influence in Africa

Agence France Presse and Newsweek were among the Western news outlets who have framed the Russia-Africa Summit story as a bid to somehow “confront” or “challenge” China’s massive influence in Africa. What’s interesting, ...

Gyude Moore on Why Some African Countries Prefer to Deal with China and Russia Over the U.S.

“American involvement comes with American values: protection of minorities, freedom of speech, open societies, free trade. And so when the U.S. engages with a country, those are the terms ...

South Africa President Reflects on Russia Summit and Defends Chinese Lending Practices

In his regular email newsletter, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa reflected on last week’s inaugural Russia-Africa Summit and the changing geopolitical dynamics in Africa. Key Highlights from President Ramaphosa’s Newsletter: ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP