Washington tries once again to fight against the influence of Wagner and Moscow in Africa. The United States announced on Tuesday new sanctions against the activities of the group of Russian mercenaries in the Central African Republic but also in Mali, a few days after an aborted mutiny by its leader Evguéni Prigojine.
The United States was to announce these measures at the very beginning of the week but decided to postpone them a little so as not to appear to take sides in the crisis which unfolded over the weekend in Russia.
A Dubai-based company also sanctioned
The US sanctions target the mining company Midas Resources, which owns several mines in the Central African Republic, as well as Diamville, which specializes in gold transactions, both controlled by Evguéni Prigojine, the US Treasury Department said. The sanctions also target another Dubai-based company, Industrial Resources General Trading, accused of handling transactions on behalf of Diamville.
“The Wagner Group funds its brutal operations in part through the exploitation of natural resources in countries like the Central African Republic and Mali,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury Brian Nelson. “The United States will continue to target the Wagner Group’s revenue streams to prevent it from expanding into Africa, Ukraine or elsewhere,” he added.
Shortly before, the spokesman for the State Department, Matthew Miller, had announced the eminence of these sanctions, and again denounced the activities of the Wagner group in Africa. “We believe that where Wagner goes, he sows death and destruction in his wake,” said Matthew Miller, “urging governments in Africa or elsewhere to cease all cooperation with Wagner”.
Lavrov supports Wagner in Africa
The Russian paramilitary group is increasingly active in Africa, particularly in Mali and the Central African Republic. Despite his failed rebellion in Russia, Wagner will continue to operate in these two African countries, the head of Russian diplomacy assured Monday in an interview with the RT channel. Sergueï Lavrov estimated that Europe and France “having abandoned CAR and Mali”, these countries turned to Russia and Wagner to have military instructors and “to ensure the safety of their leaders”.