Molière Out, Mercenaries In: Powers and Politics in Françafrique

Is West Africa going to war over Niger? And is the Niger coup part of a wider decline in French colonial influence – and growing Russian and Chinese interest – in the region? Ray Suarez sits down with security analyst Fola Aina and journalist Nabila Ramdani to discuss the coup in Niger – and across former French colonies in the Sahel region. They explain why the Niger coup could help the Wagner Group expand influence.    Guests:   Fola Aina, international security analyst at the Royal United Services Institute of Security and Defense Studies in London   Nabila Ramdani, French journalist and author of “Fixing France, How to Repair a Broken Republic”     Host:     Ray Suarez   If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.