Russia Accuses US of Using Africa
By Thabo Mosia
In a recent briefing, Major General Aleksey Rtishchev of the Russian Ministry of Defense alleged that the United States is utilizing Africa as a vast reservoir for dangerous pathogens and a testing ground for experimental medical treatments. He claimed that the US has shifted its biological risk management strategies, previously tested in Ukraine and Georgia, to the African continent.
Allegations of Biological Risk Management
General Rtishchev, deputy chief of the Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense Troops, stated that the US is actively employing its system for managing biological risks in Africa. He asserted that this involves acquiring pathogens from endemic areas and monitoring biological situations to serve American interests. According to Rtishchev, such activities undermine the sovereignty of African nations in the field of biosafety, making them dependent on the United States.
US Military-Biological Presence in Africa
The Russian Ministry of Defense has previously scrutinized US military-biological activities worldwide. Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, head of the Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense troops of the Russian Armed Forces, claimed that documents in their possession confirm the rapid increase of the US biological-military presence on the African continent. He cited examples such as studies conducted by the US Army Institute of Infectious Diseases in Kenya and the construction of a laboratory and training facility in Ethiopia, funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). 
US Response to Allegations
The United States has consistently denied these allegations. US officials argue that their biological research activities in Africa are aimed at supporting the control and surveillance of infectious disease outbreaks with epidemic potential. They emphasize that these cooperation and assistance activities comply with international obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and are designed to help countries detect, prepare for, and respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases. 
Disinformation Concerns
US officials have accused Russian intelligence agencies of attempting to undermine US influence in Africa by spreading disinformation. They claim that Russia is disseminating false narratives suggesting that Africans have been unwitting test subjects in Pentagon biological research programs, thereby casting aspersions on Western public health initiatives. 
Implications for African Nations
The Russian Ministry of Defense warns that the involvement of US government agencies and private contractors in Africa leads to a transition to American standards for personnel training and the consolidation of information about the biological situation. They argue that this results in the degradation of national healthcare systems and imposes dependency on American medical equipment and supplies, ultimately causing participating states to lose their national sovereignty in biosafety matters.
Call for Investigation
Experts have urged African governments to probe US biological research activities on the continent. David Monyae, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Johannesburg, stated that if reports about the transfer of American dual-use biological research to Africa are true, it would be a matter of major concern given the potential negative impact on the continent. 
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