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Politics
Abdul-Gafar Tobi Oshodi, Faculty member, Department of Political Science, Lagos State University

Power vacuum in west Africa’s Sahel: 3 ways China could fill the gap as west exits

China Sahel Africa United States Ecowas Niger Nigeria Burkina Faso Donald Trump Mali

With France fast losing its influence in west Africa’s Sahel region and an unpredictable US president in power, will China fill the vacuum?

The Sahel region covers 10 countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal.

French troops have been expelled from three of these – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger – after military coups. Chad, Senegal and Ivory Coast have also expelled French troops. The troops were there because of the security threat from extremist groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province.

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