The new axis of evil according to the USA, South Africa position and the ECOWAS problems

It is becoming increasingly common in the United States to view various conflicts across the world as part of a single narrative. Opposed to the West are Iran, Russia, North Korea, and China, along with smaller yet influential groups like Hamas and the Houthis. This new axis of evil is not connected religiously or ideologically, but economically. The sanctions and export controls imposed on it have caused it to need trade, money, weapons, and natural resources.

South Africa has recently positioned itself closer to Russia than to the West, despite the US, UK, and European Union being the country’s leading investors and key trading partners. The country seems to prefer its position within the BRICS group, which includes Russia and China, and whose authorities have not yet condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to Keith B. Richburg from The Washington Post, this attitude is rooted in the African National Congress that rules South Africa. Its military wing fought against apartheid since the 1960s and was considered a pro-communist terrorist organisation in the US and Great Britain. However, it found support in the Soviet Union, China, and Cuba.

Experts suggest that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) must either reform or collapse. The military coups in West African countries, the resignation of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from membership, the countries’ turn towards Russia, and the effective sanctions system have all made it clear that the organisation lacks authority, legitimacy, and effective instruments of action.