Panelists tell Helsinki Commission Russia has deepened security and economic ties across Africa

Connor Lewis, a member of the policy staff at the U.S. Helsinki Commission, opened a July briefing by saying that while Americans understand Russia’s war in Ukraine, they may underestimate the scale and consequences of Russian activity in Africa.

"Russia's renewed engagement in Africa is one of the most consequential geopolitical developments of the past decade," said Mvimba Fezo Dezulele, senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Dezulele testified that Moscow’s approach is pragmatic—offering security assistance with few political conditions and tying security agreements to access to resources such as gold, diamonds and uranium.

Dezulele urged Washington to respond by deepening long-term investment in accountable institutions and expanding economic engagement that generates broad-based growth rather than extractive deals. "The United States should deepen long term investment in institutions, not simply counterterrorism operations," he said, adding that the U.S. must also support independent African journalism and digital literacy to counter disinformation.

The panel underscored that many African governments are exercising agency and pursuing immediate security or economic interests. The briefing closed with a consensus that U.S. strategy must offer timely, practical alternatives to Russian and Chinese offers if Washington hopes to sustain influence.

The Helsinki Commission convened the briefing to examine these dynamics and their implications for U.S. policy toward the continent.