BERLIN (Realist English). The West is losing its geopolitical position in the African Sahel, which is of strategic importance due to Russia’s competing presence there, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told the Bundestag deputies.
The defense minister commented on Berlin’s plans to deploy troops as part of the EU mission in Niger, where there are fears of a possible spread of violence from neighboring Mali.
“Russian narratives and offers seem to gain traction here, and the Western community is losing ground here. And the Sahel is and will remain strategically relevant for precisely this reason, especially given the Russian presence in the region.” Reuters quotes him as saying.
In March, Christoph Kannengießer, CEO of the Berlin-based German-African Business Association (Afrika-Verein), told The Africa Report that German businesses have long overlooked the continent in favor of lucrative markets elsewhere. But the growing tension in relations with Moscow and Beijing have forced to rethink the situation and present the region in a new, positive light.
