The United State’s Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield has accused Russia’s notorious mercenary army, the Wagner Group, of plundering Africa’s natural resources to help pay for Moscow’s war in Ukraine, the Middle East and beyond.
She accused Wagner of taking advantage of countries it works in and using “ill-gotten gains” to help power Russia’s military operations.
“We know these ill-gotten gains are used to fund Moscow’s war machine in Africa, the Middle East and Ukraine,” she told the UN Security Council at a session monitored by Persecondnews.com.
“Rather than being a transparent partner and improving security, Wagner exploits client states who pay for their heavy-handed security services in gold, diamond, timber and other natural resources … This is part of the Wagner Group’s business model.”
Ms Thomas-Greenfield cited a “common interest” in ensuring that African wealth is not stolen and redirected for illicit purposes.
Wagner is widely believed to be tied to the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin, though Moscow denies any involvement.
The exploitation of natural resources has fuelled at least 18 violent conflicts since 1990, the UN reported.
Kenya’s UN ambassador Martin Kimani urged the Security Council to dismantle terrorism networks in Africa, saying they pose a “dire” threat in far too many countries.
“The protection of peace and security in Africa is impossible if the continent’s natural resources as not reclaimed for the people,” said Mr Kimani.
“It is time that Africa’s natural resources fully benefit the African people.”
The shadowy private military contractor operates in dozens of nations, including Syria and Ukraine, and trains local troops across several African hotspots including the Central African Republic, Mali and Sudan.
But Russia’s ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia accused the US of “anti-Russian rage”.
“African states are not our clients, they are our partners. I would like to recall here, by the way, that in Syria, the US, under the cover of counter-terrorism, was stealing Syrian oil,” Mr Nebenzia said.
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