Russia eyes West Africa for strategic naval foothold
Malabo in Equatorial Guinea, Bissau in Guinea-Bissau, and Conakry in Guinea are Russia's new hope for an ice-free naval base. This development follows the expulsion of its warships from the Syrian port of Tartus on the Mediterranean Sea, with efforts to secure the Libyan port of Tobruk proving challenging.
An analysis of Moscow's pursuit of "warm" seaports for trade, which has been greatly constrained by Western sanctions, and for the Russian navy, has been conducted by the industry portal Portseurope. The portal suggests that Russia has been compelled to focus on smaller ports in West Africa, as "EU and US diplomats have made the easing or lifting of international sanctions on Syria contingent upon it closing its bases to the Russian navy and air force."
Similar propositions have reached eastern Libya, under the control of Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who is vying with the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli for recognition by Western nations.
As early as November last year, Russia sent approximately 200 military instructors to the small nation of Equatorial Guinea to protect President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has been in power for 40 years. At the year's end, the two countries signed an agreement allowing Russian navy ships to dock and berth in two ports — the continental Bata and Malabo, which is located on the island of Bioko and serves as the capital.
Equatorial Guinea, with its considerable reserves of oil and natural gas, ranks among the wealthier African nations, a fact Moscow is keen to capitalize on by exploiting the continent's resources.
A small country in West Africa
Russia is also showing interest in the port of the similarly small Guinea-Bissau, where President Umaro Sissoco Embaló signed agreements in Moscow at the end of February to enhance military cooperation with Russia. Embaló offered Putin access to bauxite and the Atlantic port of Bissau. According to Reuters, the visit was strategic; the president of Equatorial Guinea flew to Moscow on the day his mandate expired, having postponed national elections from December of the previous year to September of the current year, in contradiction to the constitution.
This nation, bordered by Senegal, The Gambia, and Guinea, has long maintained strong ties with Russia and its predecessor, the Soviet Union. According to the Kenyan magazine "The African Executive," over 70% of Guinea-Bissau's military and civilian personnel received training there.
Conakry, the port and capital of the third Guinea, is already utilised by Russia to supply its mercenaries stationed in Mali. As reported by the French newspaper "Le Monde," in mid-January, Russians unloaded over 100 military vehicles, including tanks and armoured infantry support vehicles, which traversed the entire country en route to Bamako in Mali from this port.
