Putin's Influencer in Africa
Africa's pro-Russia influencers take on the West
Nathalie Yamb is a controversial pro-Putin influencer, accused of spreading the Kremlin's agenda on her popular social media posts. Her goal: ending the influence of former colonial powers like France in Africa, even if that means partnering with Russia.
"We don't want your pseudo generosity, nor your military, monetary, economic, diplomatic, and humanitarian presence here. Go love someone else!" Pan-Africanism is at the heart of Nathalie Yamb's fight. With more than a million followers, she is a key figure in the movement. Yet Africa has become the target of a war of influence. The Russian paramilitary group Wagner relies on pan-African social media accounts and platforms to attack their common enemy; the West. "Wagner will, for example, finance radio stations or bribe journalists to broadcast content that will be either favorable to Russia or very critical of the French presence", explains Maxine Audinet, an expert in Russian influence. Under sanctions from France and with bank accounts cut off in her Swiss home, Yamb's connections to Russia have made her the focus of several intelligence services. Yet despite the pressure, Yamb remains defiant. “It implies that Africans are incapable of fighting for their own interests, of thinking for themselves, that we are people who are destined to be someone's puppet. So I find it disparaging, racist, contemptuous!"
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