The moment that Lieutenant- Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba was ousted by his former military colleague, Captain Ibrahim Traore, pro-coup crowds filled Burkina Faso’s streets. Some burned French flags, others carried Russian flags. This scene alone represents the tussle under way throughout the African continent.
A few years ago, the discussion regarding the geopolitical shifts in Africa was not exactly concerned with France and Russia, per se. It focused mostly on China’s growing economic role and political partnerships on the African continent.
For example, Beijing’s decision to establish its first overseas
