Tension between the West and Russia: implications for Africa

The document examines the historical patterns of US and Soviet influence in Africa and contrasts them with a potential modern 'new' Cold War based on the divide between liberal democracies and authoritarian states. It argues that while a multi-polar world could increase the bargaining power of African governments, these states should maintain neutrality to avoid diminishing their economic opportunities by falling into a single sphere of influence.

• During the Cold War, the West and the Soviet Union employed different strategies to gain influence in Africa: the West used a 'pragmatic' approach by aligning with authoritarian one-party states that rejected Marxism-Leninism, while the Soviet Union supported ideologically similar states through weapons and financial aid.
• Russia continues to leverage its Cold War-era influence in Africa, exemplified by its decision to write off $4 billion of Angola's consolidated debt.
• A potential 'new' Cold War would likely be defined by a divide between liberal democracies (the USA and EU) and authoritarian non-democracies (Russia, China, and Iran), rather than the previous ideological clash between capitalism and communism.
• A shift toward multi-polarity could either strengthen the bargaining positions of African governments by allowing them to negotiate better terms with competing partners or constrain their development through pressures associated with choosing one side over another.
• To maximize benefits from the rivalry between Russia and the West, African states are advised to maintain neutrality and attract complementary investments to avoid the economic limitations of entering a specific sphere of influence.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2008). Tension between the West and Russia: implications for Africa. https://saiia.org.za/research/tension-between-the-west-and-russia-implications-for-africa/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Tension between the West and Russia: implications for Africa. 2008. https://saiia.org.za/research/tension-between-the-west-and-russia-implications-for-africa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Tension between the West and Russia: implications for Africa |date=5 October 2008 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/tension-between-the-west-and-russia-implications-for-africa/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2008tension, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Tension between the West and Russia: implications for Africa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2008}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/tension-between-the-west-and-russia-implications-for-africa/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }