Russia expands influence in Africa: three juntas launch joint TV channel with Russian support

The New York Times writes about this on October 7.

The channel began broadcasting in September from the Malian capital Bamako. The name Tafouk comes from the word for “sun” and its slogan is “Television for a sovereign Africa.”

According to the publication, the project is related to Russian media infrastructure. In July, Russia Today signed a partnership agreement with Tafouk TV CEO Salif Sanogo. This happened during a visit to Niger by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The new channel is already broadcasting programs about the so-called “civic and patriotic education” of schoolchildren. In some stories, France is accused of “plundering the resources” of Niger. Music videos show soldiers in pickup trucks and near helicopters, and songs glorify the leaders of military regimes.

At the same time, information about the deteriorating security situation in the three countries is practically absent from the local media. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are fighting groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Military leaders cited the fight against terrorism as one of the main reasons for the seizure of power. However, after the coups, the security situation, according to analysts, continued to deteriorate.

According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, 50 soldiers were killed in two Islamic State offensives in Niger in late September. In Mali, more than 100 people were killed in an attack on September 10, and in Burkina Faso, three separate attacks in July killed about 50 people.

The New York Times reviewed more than 30 local media outlets but found no reports of these attacks. Experts attribute this situation to the military governments’ increasing control over the information space.

Beverly Ochieng, an analyst at Control Risks specializing in Sahel countries, noted that Tafouk TV also recruited several journalists who had been trained in Russia.

According to her, Moscow has been strengthening its media presence in Africa in recent years. In particular, Russia is attracting journalists who work in local languages and distributing pro-Russian content.

“Russia is no longer the obvious face of propaganda in the region,” Ochieng said.

She added that now the Sahelian juntas themselves and their associated media platforms shape the information narratives, remaining predominantly pro-government.

After the military came to power, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger began to distance themselves from Western partners. In particular, France and the United States withdrew their military contingents from Niger.

To combat security threats, military governments initially engaged the Wagner PMC, and after the death of its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, some of the functions were taken over by the Russian Africa Corps.

At the same time, militant activity is increasing in the region. Heni Nsaibia, a representative of the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, said there has been a sharp increase in the number of large-scale attacks in recent months.

Expanding Russia’s media presence in Africa is part of a broader Kremlin strategy. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) notes that Russia has been building a network of foreign media outlets and training journalists who study in Russia for years.

According to ISW, Russia’s information influence infrastructure includes agreements with foreign media, journalist training programs, and “Russian House” cultural centers. The largest concentration of such elements is in Africa.