Owusu on Africa: How characteristics of the “New Cold War” unfolded in the last couple of weeks in West Africa

By Fidel Amakye Owusu

Last November, Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo, raised issues with a possible presence of The Wagner Group in Burkina Faso. He was concerned that the Russian mercenary group would be operating too close to Ghana.​

Despite what appeared to be a genuine concern, he returned to Africa with a different approach. The backlash from the junta in Burkina Faso and other security experts was overwhelming. Eventually, Akufo-Addo sent his National Security Minister to Ouagadougou to water down the near diplomatic trouble.​

Later in May 2023 the president of Ghana paid a visit to Ouagadougou to meet with the junta to discuss security issues and give more assurances. A situation that could have gone bad was therefore salvaged. With extremists gaining strength in Burkina Faso bad relations between the two states could be dangerous.​

And so what?​

On October 31 2023, the German Chancellor met with the Ghanaian leader in Accra. During the discussions between the two heads of government, the latter had asked for security support from
the former and the European Union. He had specifically asked for assistance with intelligence gathering.​

Last year, before the US-Africa Leaders Summit, the European Council President Charles Michel was in Accra to attend a summit of the “Accra Initiative”. Among the issues discussed was support from Europe for members of the initiative.​

Burkina Faso could not wait any longer to make a bold statement.​

How?​

Exactly a week after Olaf Scholz met with the Ghanaian president in Accra, the Defense Minister of Burkina Faso, Kassoum Coulibaly was in Moscow to see his Russian counterpart.​

The mission according to the minister was to strengthen defence ties and pursue further military cooperation. Interestingly, Russia’s Vice-Defence Minister was in Ouagadougou months earlier on a “working visit”. The latest was, therefore, a reaction to the landlocked country’s southern neighbor.​

After the 2022 coup, Burkina Faso expelled French forces from its territory and tilted eastward to Russia and its allies. It was for this reason that Ghana believed that Wagner’s forces were likely to replace the security void left by the French.​

In my interview with DW after the German Chancellor’s visit, I stated that countries have the right to seek the support they need concerning their security. It appears the Bukinabes are communicating that they also do have “friends”.​

This notwithstanding, the common enemy is violent extremism that is engulfing the region in unprecedented ways. For stability in the region, governments must cooperate, share intelligence and support each other. Any help from outside should augment regional cooperation.​

Essentially, the last three days depicted what many believe to be the presence of the “New Cold War” in Africa.

Fidel Amakye Owusu is an International Relations and Security Analyst. He is an Associate at the Conflict Research Consortium for Africa and has previously hosted an International Affairs program with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). He is passionate about Diplomacy and realizing Africa’s global potential and how the continent should be viewed as part of the global collective.