Russia’s Strategic Shift in North Africa
On April 24, 2025, The North Africa Initiative (NAI) at Johns Hopkins SAIS and the Middle East Institute Switzerland (MEIS) organized a discussion on Russia’s growing influence in North Africa and its implications for regional security, migration, and global geopolitics.
Russia’s strategic pivot to North Africa—following setbacks in Syria—has reshaped regional dynamics, from military deployments and disinformation campaigns to its exploitation of migration routes and illicit networks. This event unpacked Moscow’s ambitions, its hybrid tactics, and the urgent challenges for Western and regional stakeholders.
The session explored:
Military Power Projection: Russia’s redeployment of private military contractors (e.g. Wagner Group, Africa Corps) in Libya and the Sahel. Implications for regional stability and counterterrorism efforts.
Soft Power & Disinformation: How Russia fuels anti-Western narratives through media, cultural diplomacy and cyber operations.
Migration, Trafficking and Transnational Crime: The role of Russian-backed forces in manipulating migration flows, arms smuggling and illicit financial networks.
Western and Regional Responses: Assessing NATO, EU and African strategies to counter Moscow’s influence.
Featured Speakers
Federica Saini Fasanotti, Senior Associate Fellow, Institute of International Policy Studies (ISPI)
Emadeddin Badi, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council
Moderator
Hafed Al-Ghwell, Executive Director, North Africa Initiative; Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Institute, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University
Discussant
Andrea Cellino, Vice-President and Head of North Africa, Middle East Institute Switzerland (MEIS)