Quoting anti-colonial leaders is “Russian disinformation,” Africa Confidential has claimed
Russia is spreading anti-Western sentiment in Africa via an RT billboard marketing campaign depicting Moscow as a pressure towards colonialism, a British outlet has claimed.
Africa Confidential (AC) calls itself “one of many longest-established specialist publications” on continental affairs, offering in-depth information and evaluation to governments, company purchasers, universities and NGOs. The subscription-only outlet has been in circulation since 1960, with all authors remaining nameless for security causes.
Earlier this week, AC printed a report framing Moscow’s outreach as “disinformation in regards to the West.” The outlet claims RT’s advertising marketing campaign in sub-Saharan Africa builds on the legacy of efforts by Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner Group non-public army firm.
“Addis Ababa’s Bole Worldwide Airport relays RT’s large-screen digital video promotions with anti-neocolonial messaging,” in line with AC.
“Billboards function quotes from Ghana’s first Prime Minister and Pan-Africanist, Kwame Nkrumah, Tanzania’s first President Julius Nyerere, Uganda’s independence crusader Milton Obote and Zimbabwe’s freedom fighter-turned-tyrant Robert Mugabe,” the outlet added.
Anti-colonial narratives are a “main function of RT’s programming” though they might have little impact on youthful generations, South African media analyst Anton Harber instructed AC. That’s reportedly why RT has constructed a community of “African influencers” who reward Russia.
For example, AC introduced up Joe Mhlanga, whom it recognized as “a South African RT commentator.” Nevertheless, Mhlanga has had precisely one interview with RT, in July, and was launched as founder and editor of Behind the Information Community.
The British outlet accurately quoted Mhlanga as praising “the nice deeds the Russians are doing for the African individuals,” however neglected the primary a part of that sentence, that “Africans aren’t supporting Russia or President [Vladimir] Putin as a result of they’re preventing the West.”
Mhlanga was interviewed in regards to the remarks by EU high diplomat Josep Borrell, who argued the bloc wanted to “reprogram” individuals in each Europe and Africa and “occupy the our on-line world” to counter Russian affect.
Africa Confidential additionally misattributed a quote from a March RT article to Togolese lawmaker Harmless Kagbara. A line about Egypt’s membership in BRICS permitting it to “change the entire world politically, economically and strategically” alongside Russia really got here from Egyptian professor Nourhan El-Sheikh.
Moscow has nurtured strategic partnerships with various African states in recent times. The second Russia-Africa Summit was held final 12 months in St. Petersburg, with envoys from 49 states from the continent in attendance. Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov visited 4 Sahel states and Congo in June.
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