Sudan greenlights plan for first Russian naval base in Africa

Sudan has confirmed that plans for Russia to establish its first naval base in Africa, on the Red Sea coast, will move forward, signaling a significant shift in the region’s geo-strategic balance.

The announcement came after Sudanese foreign minister Ali Youssef Ahmed al-Sharif met with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on 12 February. The two officials agreed that there were no obstacles to the long-delayed project, with Sharif stating that the plan, originally signed in 2020, only needs ratification to proceed. Located near Port Sudan on the Red Sea, the base will give Russia a crucial foothold in a strategically important region and waterway connecting the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean. This move places Russia alongside the United States and China, both of which maintain military bases in nearby Djibouti. Under the 2020 agreement, Russia will be allowed to station nuclear-powered warships and up to 300 personnel at the base for a 25-year term.

The decision marks a shift in Russia’s military strategy following the loss of its naval base in Syria’s Tartus, which was vital for operations in the Mediterranean. Russia and Sudan have historically had a strong relationship in terms of politics, the economy and defense. In the ongoing civil war, Russia has pragmatically supported both warring sides, the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, including through the Wagner Group, a private military company. As an analysis in The National Interest aptly notes, “Russia could find itself simply trading an established navy base in a country divided by civil war for a new facility in a nation in very much the same situation.” Analysts point out that while the new naval base could bolster Russia’s influence in Africa, its success is far from uncertain, as Sudan continues to navigate political instability and humanitarian crises.