Information war: Moscow’s messaging puts France on the back foot in Africa

Why did France lose influence so fast in these former colonies? Why is Paris finding it so hard to counter conspiracy theories that include claims of collusion with jihadist insurgents - claims that are blatantly baseless but which Moscow is only too happy to relay?

“It’s only a movie.” That’s what they must be saying in Hollywood after France’s defence minister took to Twitter to blast the depiction of his armed forces in the latest “Black Panther” movie. Is Sebastien Le Cornu right or wrong to complain about a superhero flic set in a make-believe African country?

We also take a look at the long run: old and new alliances come and go, but how deep are the ties that bind Africa to Moscow when you compare with the trade the continent does with China, Europe, the United States, and India? 

Prepared by Charles Wente, Lauren Bain and Louise Guibert

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