Africa: The future battleground of the world

Africa, the second largest continent of the world, always remained under the shadows of blood, hunger and death. Almost 140 years back, European colonial powers namely France, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Britain divided almost 90% of Africa among themselves during the 1884 Berlin conference to rule it for the next hundred years. Although this division was one of the primary reasons for the first world war, but things have not changed much since then. Global powers have been flexing their muscles in Africa. Although the formal colonization is over, the effect of these powers on the politics of Africa continues to be there.

Today, Africa is the most volatile and sensitive continent of the world, which despite of being the richest in minerals and natural wealth, is suffering for its own survival. This is the place where thousands of people are dying every day due to malnutrition, natural calamities, terror activities or genocides. It is assumed that in the last five decades alone, almost 25 lakh people have been killed in Africa in various armed conflicts. The number is rising daily at an alarming rate. Most of these conflicts were sponsored by international powers sitting thousands of miles away and the reason was control of Africa’s resources. Surprisingly, today almost 95% of the United Nations’ peacekeeping forces are deployed in Africa and almost 90% of the entire peacekeeping budget of the UN is spent on Africa. Yet, while the Russia-Ukraine conflict makes headlines in  International media, there are few who are ready to talk about Africa.

Africa is the richest continent when it comes to natural wealth and this is the reason, it always attracted global powers who are ready to do anything to have their pivot there. The recent Sudan conflict is a real example where US-backed rebels are fighting Russia backed Sudanese government. Not only Europe or US but China too is expanding its military and economic footprints in Africa, and it is assumed that Africa may become the reason for another war of the world. It is pertinent to analyze why global powers are ready to fight over Africa once again. There are three primary reasons, the effects of colonization, the fight over natural resources and the strategic rivalry between the East and the West. Let us discuss them. 

Effects of colonization

European powers not only divided Africa among themselves in 1884, but they were also exploiting it before. Africa was the biggest source of slaves for over seven centuries. There were markets in Zanzibar where slaves bought from all over Africa were sold in lots of hundreds. Although formal colonization was over in the seventies with most European powers pulling out of Africa officially, but the real colonization is yet to be uprooted from Africa. Soon after getting Independence, African countries started struggling for political, cultural, and economic development, and in the process, had fallen into the traps of European powers. While leaving Africa, the European powers ensured that their trusted elements remain in the country and the country’s ruling elite continues to dance to their tunes. So, they derived a kind of economic spiderweb where politicians, military commanders, businessmen and major influencers were trapped. So, despite leaving the country, they continued to exploit the natural resources on their own terms. Still, whenever any opposition rose, they sent their weapons and even Army to suppress it and as a result, getting away from colonization remained a dream for these poor countries. There are several conflicts in Africa which were fought because of this and there are high possibilities that any such conflict may trigger a future war too.  

Fight for Natural resources

One of the primary reasons why global powers are making a beeline to Africa is its natural resources. Africa has 30% of the world’s entire mineral wealth, 15% of petroleum reserves, 40% of gold, 90% of Chromium and Platinum, the largest reserves of Copper, Cobalt, Platinum and Uranium, and it has over 75% of the global stock of Diamonds. Not only this, but Africa also has more than 65% of the world’s Arable land and is the biggest source of Timber globally. These factors are sufficient to attract any country towards Africa where poverty is extreme and local governments do not have the resources to mine this natural wealth. They are left with no option but to allow another country to exploit their country on its own terms. At times, these outside countries have a clash of interests, and this often triggers a conflict. A large number of present and past conflicts in Africa were caused due to this and there are high chances that the future ones will also be caused because of it only.

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Strategic Rivalry: West vs East 

Africa is fast becoming a battleground between the West and the East. There was a time when US and Europe were calling shots in Africa but the events in the last two decades have been detrimental to Western interests. As per a study, while the total US trade with Africa dropped by 54% in 10 years from 2007 to 2017, Chinese trade increased by 220% in the same time frame. Similarly, Russia’s total investments in Africa have grown by 40% in the past decade while trade with European Union declines. Not only this, in 2019, when Russia organized its first ever Russia-Africa summit, the same was attended by 45 heads of state which signifies the increasing eastern dominance in Africa. Militarily too, while Russia has a presence of its Wagner group in at least four African countries and has military ties with another five. It recently signed off with the government of Sudan for taking over their port for the military purpose which triggered the 2023 Sudan conflict. China is already operating its military base from Djibouti and is in the process of establishing military ties with a few countries. All this is a direct hit towards Western hegemony which US and Europe can never tolerate, and a possibility of future escalation cannot be ruled out. 

Africa has everything to fight for and although it hardly makes a place in International media, the continent is fighting for its own survival. It is sandwiched between West and East. While the US and European Union are getting together to gain their lost ground at any cost. Eastern powers like Russia and China are increasing their influence rapidly. It is assumed that it is Africa which has all the reasons to invite a war of the world. Who will win is not a question but the survival of Africa is.

The author is a veteran of the Armed Forces. He is a known Defence Strategist with keen interests in international affairs, maritime security, terrorism and internal security.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA.)