On July 26, 2023, the West African country of Niger fell to a coup d'etat along with its neighbors of Mali and Burkina Faso. This is a very fascinating part of the world, and holds a ton of geopolitical consequences here. In this video, I try to answer your questions about what's going on in West Africa, and what it will mean for our larger geopolitical world. If you dig what I'm doing, please show your support through Patreon. Please consider supporting this work at www.patreon.com/ExitStrategyShow

----------------------------------------

I am also a serious journalist. I also wrote about this story for Jacobin: Check it out:

► https://jacobin.com/2023/08/niger-coup-west-russia-war-mohamed-bazoum-security-democracy

Additional resources for this video include: 

► https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/sahel/niger/tentative-de-coup-detat-au-niger-eviter-la-confrontation-armee

► https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/time-running-short-diplomacy-post-coup-niger-talks-stall-2023-08-09/

► https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/08/08/niger-ecowas-bazoum-nigeria-tinubu-military-intervention/

► https://taskandpurpose.com/news/us-military-drone-missions-niger-halted/#:~:text=Known%20as%20%E2%80%9CNigerien%20Air%20Base,the%20base%20in%20November%202019

----------------------------------------

About Me: My name is Jody Ray, host and producer of EXIT STRATEGY. What originally began (and continues to be) a podcast about geopolitics, conflict, and the illicit political economy (https://linktr.ee/exitstrategyofficial) has now grown into a video channel that aims to showcase my personal travels to cover the world's culture, conflict, and cuisine.

This project is entirely self-funded, relying on the generous support of those who find value in what I am trying to do. If you are one of those people, please consider becoming an EXIT STRATEGY Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/ExitStrategyShow) or by making a donation through Venmo [at]ExitStrategyShow.

I speak to writer and journalist, Chris Olaoluwa Ògúnmọ́dẹdé, about Russia's influence in West Africa, Western reporting on elements like Chinese investment, Wagner Group, and the Russian State, and how all of these have been changing over the last few years within the context of the  Ukraine War. 

Chris Olaoluwa Ògúnmọ́dẹdé is an associate editor for World Politics Review. He specializes in diplomacy, development and international security, with a specialist focus on West African history, political institutions and foreign relations. His areas of interest include governance, elections, military dictatorships, comparative authoritarianism, trade and regional integration, migration, diasporism and social movements in Africa, with a focus on the West Africa region. His coverage of African politics, international relations and security has appeared in War on The Rocks, Mail & Guardian, The Republic, Africa is a Country and other publications. Follow him on Twitter at @Illustrious_Cee.

Daniel Studies studied anthropology and archaeology at the University of California, Berkeley, and at the University of Aix-Marseille in France, obtaining his Ph.D. in 1981, and has lectured at UC Berkeley, University of Nairobi, University of Paris X and Oxford University, focusing on past and present human ecology and evolution.

Since 1983 Stiles worked in land and natural resource management at UNEP, UNDP, UNICEF and the UN Research Institute for Social Development up to 1997, shifting into contemporary wildlife trade research in 1999, beginning with ivory and branching out to rhino horn, pangolin scales, big cat products and live great apes. These investigations led Stiles to the Internet and social media platforms, where hehas uncovered hundreds of accounts dealing in all manner of illegal wildlife.

We talk about his past work, what it's like setting up sting operations throughout Africa and Southeast Asia to combat illegal wildlife trafficking and sales, and where the big advocacy groups fall short on primates. He also provides a fascinating presentation that can be seen during our discussion on video at: Patreon at www.patreon.com/ExitStrategyShow.

Resource links provided from Stiles: