China and Russia in Africa: opportunity or threat? After centuries of European exploitation in Africa, China is now the continent’s leading economic partner and investor in strategic sectors (mining, oil, telecommunications), with 10,000 companies operating there. Meanwhile, Russia is expanding its military presence and arms exports in the Sahel countries, the Central African Republic, Sudan, and eastern Libya. How should we interpret these developments? Should Chinese and Russian influences be viewed separately? Is this new presence a form of Sino-Russian colonisation, or, on the contrary, should it be seen as a step towards a multipolar world that might benefit Africa?