CFA franc

• The death of Yevgeny Prigozhin after his private jet crashed on August 23 has raised questions about the Wagner Group’s future.
• Many in the west suspect Kremlin involvement in his death and are asking what will become of the mercenary group without its charismatic leader.
• The Wagner Group, often described as a private military company (PMC) is a state-linked actor with close ties to the Russian military.

Wagner Group in Africa

• Designated by the US government as a “transnational criminal organisation” the Wagner Group offers a range of services.
• Described by South Africa-based think tank In On Africa as “more than mere mercenaries”, the Wagner Group has also discreetly but effectively put stress on Afro-European relations while bolstering autocratic governments.
• The Internet Research Agency was directly associated with the Wagner Group via Prigozhin as its founder and owner.
• Beyond propping up failed and failing states, the Wagner Group has faced accusations of targeting civilians and committing severe human rights violations in Mali, and CAR.

The circular business of conflict

• Since mercenaries tend to thrive in conflicts, they are likely to profit by prolonging the conflicts they become involved in.
• So the activities of a PMC such as Wagner can exacerbate conflicts by prolonging hostilities, as witnessed in Libya, Mozambique and CAR.
• Since then, the scope of their operations has expanded with increased funding from Russia and the fighting continues.
• He is a member of conflict research network of west Africa ( CORN West Africa).