US military withdrawal from West Africa has repercussions

Ahmed Adel

In December 2019, the Pentagon decided to downsize US military presence in West Africa. It said US troops would also pull out of the region gradually.

Nevertheless, the same region witnesses growing activities by terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Groups affiliated to al-Qaeda are also active in the same region.

The Pentagon said the troop withdrawal from West Africa is part of a redeployment of tens of thousands of US troops around the world. It added that it would give priority, not to the fight against terrorism, but to curbing the increasing influence of both Russia and China.

Critics of the administration of US President Donald Trump say the US troop withdrawal from West Africa would create a vacuum that would only be filled by Russia and China. It would also, they said, give the chance for terrorist groups to gain more presence in the region.

American interests

The Republicans and the Democrats strongly warned against the planned troop downsizing in West Africa. This move, they said, would hand over the region to both Russia and China on a silver platter. This, they said, contradicts the principles of US national security strategies.

Republican Senator, Jim Inhofe, said African countries have turned into an important stage for the activities of terrorist groups that work to harm American interests.

Democratic Senator, Lindsey Graham, sent a special message to US Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, warning him against the planned withdrawal from West Africa.

Russian and Chinese presence

On April 18, 2019, the Russian ambassador in Mali attended a meeting of a Malian political party that strongly backs the Russian presence in this African country.

Demonstrations take part in the Malian capital of Bamako to call on Russia to intervene in Mali.

In June 2019, Mali signed a military cooperation agreement with Russia. This came at a time Russia tries to present a viable alternative in the fight against terrorism.

In February 2019, China offered military aid to Nigeria worth $4.5 million to help this African country in its war against Boko Haram.

In October 2018, the Chinese minister of defense called for strengthening military ties with a number of countries, including Cambodia and Nigeria.

The Chinese army, he said, is ready to enhance its cooperation with Nigeria.