France and Russia in Ensuring Security in Central Africa and the Fight against Terrorism

Abstract

The article deals with topical issues of countering terrorism in the Central African region in the context of the foreign policy activities of France and Russia. Based on the trends in the development of the military-political situation in Central Africa, the problems of implementing France’s foreign policy as a country focused on asserting its geopolitical dominance in the region are considered. The lack of trust in Western states on the part of the national governments of Central Africa is seen as a prerequisite for strengthening Russia’s presence in the region as a significant actor in the anti-terrorist struggle. Russia’s foreign policy is to facilitate mediation and conflict resolution, as well as to reach formal agreements on training and consulting in the field of security. Each of these efforts strengthens Russia’s security-related interests and provides African countries with opportunities to diversify their security partnerships in order to counter the growing threats of terrorism.