Security market in Africa: the place of Russia and new opportunities

Abstract

The article analyses the market of security services in Africa also examining the position which Russia holds in the current structure of supply and demand. Thus, a key goal is to determine the most promising directions within which Russian influence in terms of security provision can be widened. For this particular reason, the authors focus on supply and demand in the market of security services in Africa. In other words, the article consistently examines the main security challenges faced by regional governments and, at the same time, Russia’s successful experience in the security provision in Africa. In order to provide for the structural examination of customers’ preferences the authors highlight six groups of African states. Such a classification is based on the specific features, the severeness and the number of threats faced by the government and allows to study demand characteristics in details. At the same time the analysis of the Russian approach to cooperation with African states illustrates both advantages and disadvantages of the security services provided by Moscow. Suchwise, the key factors which predetermine the Kremlin’s attractiveness as a security provider are the adherence to the three-noes concept, including non-interference in the internal affairs of security partners, readiness to find compromises and to adopt a realistic approach to goal-setting. Russia’s successful experience in combatting rebels as well as the export of weapons are two components that also play an important role in the strategy adopted by Moscow. However current prospects are limited by the foreign pressure put on Russian allies in the region. As a result, the most promising direction to expand Russian influence in Africa in terms of security provision relates to the cooperation with the states that face a crisis affecting all the spheres of social life and that suffer from neo-colonial policies of former colonial powers. Moreover, it seems essential to develop forms and tools of military assistance for African security forces.