A treasure hunt on the Dark Continent

 From the 1950s until 1991, the Soviet presence in Africa was considerable. Since 2000 Russian interest has resumed, but up to now it has relied on soft power tactics.

Russia has recently returned to take its place among the countries that have been competing for decades to grab a slice of Africa’s mineral wealth. Following a long hiatus, huge Russian investments are now being made across the continent.

The Kremlin’s interest in Africa began long ago, during the period immediately following the death of Stalin, although the earliest contacts date back to the Russian Empire. In the late 1950s, Moscow began establishing diplomatic links with some African countries in an attempt to end colonial rule and provide support to independence movements as part of its international opposition to Western imperialism.

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