meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Business Daily

Investing in Africa: Russia and the CAR

Business Daily

BBC

News, Business

4.4796 Ratings

🗓️ 4 July 2023

⏱️ 18 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

For almost a decade, the Central African Republic has seen growing investment and influence from the Russian mercenary group Wagner. It stretches from education and religion to business and military.

The recent mutiny has led to speculation about what the future of Russia's status in the CAR will be.

We explore Russia’s role in the CAR, and ask what it means for that country, the continent of Africa and the wider world?

Produced and presented by Peter MacJob, additional production from Zigoto Tchaya Tchameni.

(Image: A demonstrator holds a Russian flag during a march in support of Russia and China's presence in the Central African Republic. Credit: Getty Images)

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Who is the greatest African Premier League player of all time?

0:04.2

See if your choice made our list on Match of the Day Africa Top 10,

0:08.2

a new podcast from the BBC World Service.

0:10.7

Find it wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

0:15.8

Russian mercenary group Wagner has been active in Africa for almost a decade.

0:25.6

Long before the meeting in Russia, Wagner had been providing security, fighting insurgents and training local fighters in Africa,

0:29.6

particularly in the Central African Republic.

0:32.6

Wagner also has an economic presence there.

0:35.6

It's associated with a network of companies that extract natural resources.

0:39.9

This might explain why, although Wagner looks likely to be absorbed into the Russian army on home soil,

0:46.4

its activities will continue in Africa.

0:49.4

Here's Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov.

0:58.3

In addition to relations with this private military company,

1:02.7

the governments of the Central African Republic and Mali have official contacts with our leadership.

1:07.6

At their request, several hundred soldiers are working in the Central African Republic as instructors,

1:09.7

and this work will continue.

1:17.0

I'm Peter Mac Job, and in this episode of Business Daily, I'll explore Russia's growing investments and influence in the Central African Republic and ask what it means for that country,

1:23.3

the continent of Africa and the wider world.

1:29.2

Hello, the baby.

1:31.1

Good, my, sir.

1:33.6

How's it going?

1:34.8

Thank you.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.