From Mobutu to Mali: The Legacy of Covert Foreign Intervention in Africa...

Africa’s Blood and Treasure: Waging War in the Name of Peace, The Colonial Legacy of Africa's Shadow Wars

In the modern-day African landscape, the continent’s geopolitical struggles continue to be shaped by a potent combination of local turmoil and the shadowy involvement of foreign powers. Beneath the veneer of diplomacy, humanitarian interventions, and peacekeeping missions, lies a history of covert operations and strategic manipulations that persistently undermine Africa’s sovereignty. From the remnants of colonialism to the contemporary entanglements of global superpowers, Africa’s resource-rich regions have long found themselves caught in a web of foreign influence that often fuels conflict rather than resolves it.

A Legacy of Interference: The Roots of Foreign Influence

The patterns of foreign intervention in Africa can be traced back to the colonial era, when European powers not only extracted resources but also ensured that political factions loyal to their interests held sway over African nations. The post-colonial period, rather than bringing an end to these power dynamics, merely shifted the method of interference. What had once been direct colonial rule transformed into more insidious forms of covert support for repressive regimes, insurgent groups, and political factions sympathetic to foreign agendas.

Throughout the 20th century and beyond, foreign powers often disguised their involvement as “aid” or “diplomatic support,” but the ultimate goal was to maintain or expand their economic and strategic interests on the continent. This strategy was particularly evident in Africa’s many resource-rich regions, where access to valuable commodities like oil, diamonds, and minerals created a perfect storm for exploitation.

The U.S. and the Case of Mobutu in Zaire

A striking example of this manipulation occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then known as Zaire) during the Cold War. The United States, under the leadership of President George H.W. Bush, forged a significant alliance with Colonel Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, a military leader who seized power in 1965 after overthrowing Patrice Lumumba, the country’s first democratically elected prime minister. Lumumba, a charismatic leader, had been an advocate for independence from colonial powers and had strong ties to the Soviet Union during the Cold War, which made him a target of Western intervention.

Mobutu, a man with a reputation for authoritarian rule and rampant corruption, became a crucial ally for the U.S. as the country sought to counter Soviet influence in Africa. Mobutu’s reign, marked by political repression, economic mismanagement, and human rights violations, was facilitated through U.S. military aid, economic support, and strategic backing. By the time Mobutu was overthrown in 1997, he had amassed a personal fortune exceeding $6 billion—his wealth, in large part, the result of U.S. support.

The support for Mobutu was never about improving the lives of the Congolese people. It was about geopolitical strategy, the desire to prevent the spread of communism in Africa, and ensuring Western control over the country’s vast natural resources. The legacy of this intervention is still felt today, as the DRC remains embroiled in political instability, conflict, and exploitation of its mineral wealth.

The French Influence: A Legacy of Covert Operations

The role of France in Africa’s post-colonial conflicts further highlights the persistence of colonial-era strategies. One of the most notorious examples of French intervention was Operation Persil in 1960, a covert operation aimed at destabilizing Guinea after it voted for independence from France under President Sékou Touré. Maurice Robert, a former French minister in Africa, explained the operation as a multi-phase, carefully orchestrated campaign involving intelligence gathering, logistical planning, and the arming of exiled Guinean opposition forces.

The operation, which sought to undermine Guinea’s sovereignty and return the country to French influence, was part of a broader strategy by France to retain control over its former colonies in Africa. This French-style intervention, involving the manipulation of local opposition groups and the clandestine arming of rebels, would become a recurring motif in Africa’s post-colonial history.

NATO’s Role in Libya: A Contemporary Example of Foreign Manipulation

While the colonial era may be over, foreign powers continue to play a disruptive role in Africa’s conflicts, albeit in more modern and often more covert ways. One of the most glaring examples of this in recent history was the NATO-led intervention in Libya in 2011, which resulted in the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.

Initially framed as a humanitarian intervention aimed at protecting civilians from Gaddafi’s forces during the Libyan Civil War, the NATO operation quickly morphed into a broader effort to remove Gaddafi from power. The United Nations Security Council resolution that authorized the intervention was, on paper, aimed at protecting civilians and imposing an arms embargo. However, evidence soon emerged that NATO countries, including France, were actively arming and supporting rebel groups opposed to Gaddafi’s regime, in direct violation of the embargo.

In a video released by NATO, a Canadian frigate, stationed in the Mediterranean Sea to enforce the arms embargo, discovered that a rebel tugboat transporting "food and medicine" was actually carrying weapons, including 105-mm howitzer rounds and small arms. Despite this discovery, NATO allowed the vessel to pass freely, enabling the rebels to continue their fight against the Libyan government.

The motivations behind France’s involvement in Libya were multifaceted. A 2016 report by the British parliament revealed that France sought to increase its influence in North Africa, gain a larger share of Libya’s oil production, and reassert its military presence in the region. The intervention also had domestic political motivations, as French President Nicolas Sarkozy sought to bolster his political standing at home. Ultimately, the NATO-backed intervention led to the brutal murder of Gaddafi and the destabilization of Libya, which has since descended into years of civil war, lawlessness, and the rise of extremist groups.

Ukraine’s Alleged Role in Africa: A New Era of Colonial-style Interference?

Fast forward to 2024, and the dynamics of foreign intervention in Africa have evolved yet again. As the war in Ukraine rages on, a new and unexpected actor has emerged in the geopolitical drama playing out across the Sahel region of Africa: Ukraine. In a troubling development, Ukrainian intelligence has reportedly been involved in supporting rebel groups in Mali, a country already grappling with insurgency, political instability, and the presence of the Russian Wagner Group.

In July 2024, Ukrainian spokesperson Andrey Yusov publicly acknowledged Ukraine’s involvement in a military operation against Russian forces in Mali. Yusov claimed that Ukrainian intelligence had provided critical information to Tuareg insurgents, who had ambushed a military convoy carrying members of the Russian Wagner Group and Malian soldiers. This development raises serious ethical and strategic concerns, as it represents an intervention by a nation with no historical ties or legitimate stake in the region’s conflicts.

The consequences of such interference are significant. The Sahel region, already plagued by terrorism, ethnic conflict, and political instability, could see its situation worsened by foreign powers seeking to gain a foothold in Africa's geopolitically strategic areas. This type of foreign intervention, reminiscent of the French-style colonialism of the past, could have far-reaching implications for Africa’s sovereignty and its ability to resolve its own internal conflicts.

A Continued Struggle for African Sovereignty

As the historical record demonstrates, Africa has long been a battleground for global powers seeking to control its resources and influence its political future. The legacy of colonialism persists, not in the form of direct occupation, but through covert operations, arms deals, and geopolitical maneuvering that continue to destabilize the continent.

The stories of Mobutu’s Zaire, France’s operations in Guinea, NATO’s involvement in Libya, and Ukraine’s alleged support for rebels in Mali all point to a troubling trend: that foreign powers continue to play a hidden hand in Africa’s conflicts, often with devastating consequences for the African people. As Africa’s struggle for sovereignty and self-determination continues, it is clear that the ghosts of colonialism—now cloaked in the guise of global geopolitics—are far from exorcised.