Dr. Ahmed Askar‏‏

Russia has become increasingly interested in strengthening ties with Senegal, which had been at the top of Russia’s strategic agenda as it attempts to expand its influence in West Africa and the Sahel through various approaches. Through these efforts, Russia aims to solidify its presence in Africa and its position on the global stage.Moscow is aware that economic and military pathways are key to bolstering relations with Senegal, especially in light of the economic and security challenges that the region has faced in recent years. For this reason, Moscow wants to sign a military cooperation agreement with Senegal in the coming period and to capitalize on current President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s victory in the April 2024 Senegalese presidential elections. Moscow also intends to establish closer economic ties with Dakar. This reflects Russian pragmatism towards Africa in general and Senegal in particular.Russia’s actions have been a source of significant concern for the West, especially France, since Senegal is among the last strongholds of French influence in West Africa and the Sahel, following France’s marked decline in the region in recent years, especially in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. These fears have exacerbated recent tensions in French-Senegalese relations, especially after Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko condemned the presence of foreign military bases within Senegalese territory. Sonko announced that Senegal was currently reconsidering the future of military cooperation with Paris, indicating potential Russian-Senegalese rapprochement as French influence in Dakar wanes during the coming period. This state of affairs could heighten international competition, especially French-Russian rivalries in West Africa, which could result in regional tensions in West Africa and the Sahel.Signs of RapprochementMoscow and Dakar have recently taken significant steps towards closer ties. This has been apparent through a series of developments that reflect Russian interest in strengthening relations with Senegal, including the following:1- Building strong diplomatic and political ties: Dakar and Moscow share an interest in bolstering political and diplomatic ties in light of each country’s efforts to maximize their strategic interests in the region. This has been apparent through numerous official visits&nbsp;&nbsp;between the two countries, including a 2023 meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his former Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall. There was also a meeting held between Mikhail Bogdanov, the special representative of the president of Russia for the Middle East and Africa, and current Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, with the aim of discussing bilateral cooperation. Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yacine Fall also visited Moscow in August 2024 with the goal of bolstering bilateral partnerships and economic cooperation between the two countries.As part of Russian efforts to expand its influence in Senegal, Moscow has sought to use its strong ties with various Senegalese political figures to move towards rapprochement and cooperation. These figures include Jean Baptiste Tine, who was the Senegalese ambassador to Moscow until 2024, and has also been minister of the interior. He built a strong friendship with Mikhail Bogdanov in the context of Russian efforts to strengthen ties with Dakar.2- Alignment of international stances: Moscow has long seen Senegal as a dependable partner in Africa. Senegal’s neutral stance at the UN on the Russian war in Ukraine has been important to Russia, since Dakar twice abstained from voting on resolutions condemning Moscow’s actions against Kyiv. Tense relations between Senegal and Ukraine have also been to Russia’s advantage as it tries to contain Kyiv from expanding in Africa. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s ambassador to Senegal posted videos supporting an attack by some Tuareg groups against Russia’s Africa Corps in northern Mali in July 2024, which prompted Senegal to summon the Ukrainian ambassador to Dakar and accuse him of supporting the attack.3- Developing economic ties: Since Bassirou came to power in Senegal, Moscow has moved to quickly strengthen economic and trade ties, especially in the oil sector. The two countries sought during the Senegalese foreign minister’s recent visit to Moscow to fully review bilateral cooperation between the two countries and to strengthen the partnership across various sectors such as energy, technology, education, and agriculture, as part of efforts to build strategic ties.The Senegalese government has also begun talks with Russian oil and gas company Lukoil about the Yakaar-Teranga gas field after BP withdrew from the project. There is growing interest on Senegal’s part in benefiting from the leading Russian company’s expertise in the oil and natural gas sectors. Russia-Senegal talks are continuing in the technology sector, and there were communications between the Senegalese government and Russian digital services provider Rostelecom in August 2024. These talks centered around bringing Russian technologies to Africa, and to Senegal in particular.In light of efforts to bolster Russian-African ties, and especially Russian-Senegalese ties, the Africa-Russia-Eurasia Chamber of Commerce and Investment was launched in Senegal in July 2024. Moscow hopes to pump more Russian investment into Senegal by encouraging Russian companies to operate there. This work is overseen by Igor Morozov, chairman of AFROCOM (the Coordinating Committee for Economic Cooperation with African Countries), which is responsible for developing Russian trade interests in Africa.The Senegalese city of Thiès signed a partnership agreement with the Russian-held city of Sevastopol in July 2024. Thiès has received funds totaling 1 billion CFA francs, and a Russian delegation is set to arrive in Thiès to begin implementing several projects there.4- Cooperating to confront security challenges: Security and military cooperation between Dakar and Moscow is a key aspect of their rapprochement. The military cooperation agreement that the two countries signed in 2018 marked a step towards strengthening Russian-Senegalese defense relations. The two countries are expected to sign a new security agreement that includes joint naval exercises with forces from both countries, permission for Russian warships to connect with Senegalese ports, anti-piracy efforts, and support for Senegalese naval forces in surveying maritime zones. The agreement also indicates that Russian advisors will be sent to Dakar for counterterrorism trainings, and that the training will include interception technologies, intercepting communications, and military medicine.The two countries will endeavor to cooperate to confront security and humanitarian challenges in the Sahel and have aligned stances to curtail terrorist activities in the Sahel and West Africa. Senegal and Russia are focused on the need to rapidly eliminate these activities. This has been bolstered by Russian indications that Moscow is prepared to support African countries, including Senegal, in strengthening defense capabilities and counterterrorism efforts. This should be understood in the context of Russian efforts to be a dependable partner in enhancing regional stability in West Africa. For this reason, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov affirmed the importance of regional cooperation for counterterrorism, and offered to provide expertise to Dakar in this regard, including in the field of cybersecurity.Moscow has provided support to countries in the Sahel and West Africa in the form of regular shipments of Russian weapons, including the attack aircraft and helicopters that it has provided countries in the region including Niger and Burkina Faso over the last two years. It has offered to sell Russian combat helicopters to the Senegal air force, and delivered on a M-17 aircraft deal in December 2023. Moscow has also provided support for training Senegalese forces who were part of UN peacekeeping forces in the country as well as providing training on mine clearance and how to deal with explosive devices.5- Russian interest in soft power: The humanitarian and cultural sectors have also been relatively important aspects of Russian policy in Africa as it seeks to improve its public image there. Moscow has provided training across various sectors, especially education, and announced that it would increase the number of scholarships from 75 to 102 by 2025. Moscow and Dakar also have an agreement on training national personnel in Senegal. Russia is bolstering its cultural policy in some African countries, especially Senegal, through encouraging Senegalese youth to learn Russian. There are around 50 schools in 13 Senegalese regions that teach Russian, with around 6,600 students studying the language—a number which is soon expected to double.In March 2024, Moscow and Senegal signed a memorandum of understanding on human rights cooperation, which some see as a turning point in cooperation between the two countries. This agreement aims to strengthen cooperation on educational initiatives and to share effective methods for protecting civil, political, cultural, and social rights.Russia’s MotivesThere are many factors driving Russian interest in strengthening ties with Senegal, including the following:1- Senegal’s strategic location: Senegal is strategically located in West Africa with access to the Atlantic Ocean and borders with several other African countries. This makes it a key gateway for Russia to the African interior. Senegal also has a diverse economy including agriculture, fishing, service, and mining sectors. For this reason, Moscow is looking to Senegal as a strong and stable ally on the Atlantic coast which could protect Russian political, economic, and security interests.2- Senegal’s standing in Africa: Dakar has a key geopolitical positioning in the region, since it plays a central role in organizations at the regional and continental level, including the African Union and ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States). This could be beneficial to Moscow in strengthening ties with other African nations. Senegal is also part of regional peacekeeping initiatives to support regional stability on the continent as a whole and in West Africa in particular.3- Russian interest in African resources: Oil and gold are key drivers in Moscow’s interest in Dakar, as Russia hopes to obtain more of the resources that were formerly controlled by France and the West in previous years. These resources would help fuel the Russian economy which has been threatened by the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine and Western sanctions imposed on Moscow since the conflict began.4- Senegal as a key gateway for Russian investment: Moscow sees Dakar as an oasis of stability in a volatile region. It hopes Senegal will help it find new markets to bolster sales of Russian products and to attract Russian companies to West Africa that can begin implementing Russian projects there. This is part of Russia’s goal of strengthening its presence in the region. 5- Senegal’s growing role in energy markets: Senegal’s standing rose significantly after key discoveries in the energy sector, especially with regard to oil and natural gas. Senegal is expected to become a key player in global energy markets, which makes it a partner with various competitive advantages for Moscow.6- Bolstering the Russian defense industry: This is particularly true in light of Moscow’s efforts to launch its defense industries in Senegal so that the country can become a launchpad for these industries to move into other neighboring countries in West Africa and the Sahel. At a minimum, Senegal will become a key market for defense and arms industries in the region.7- Securing Russian naval influence on the African coast: Senegal’s geopolitical positioning contributes to Russian interest in expanding into naval ports in the Gulf of Guinea, through which a growing percentage of international trade passes. The potential for Russian access to the Atlantic Ocean via Senegal would also threaten certain international powers including the US, which is concerned about any Russian or Chinese presence on the west coast of Africa. 8- Countering Western influence in West Africa: Moscow realizes that its rapprochement with Dakar will achieve its strategic goals and interests in West Africa, including containing French influence in West Africa, and especially in Senegal. This is particularly true since Paris’s standing in Africa has markedly declined; Moscow could take advantage of this in order to expand its own influence and international standing in West Africa and the Sahel.In conclusion, the rapprochement between Dakar and Moscow is a double-edged sword for Russian geopolitical interests. Although this cooperation will enable Moscow to expand its influence in the African continent and counter the Western presence there, it could also put Russia in conflict with France and the West, which could lead to escalating geopolitical tensions in the region.

Why Russia is Interested in Developing Ties with Senegal