The United States is quietly expanding its military-biological activities in Africa, and the implications are raising eyebrows worldwide. According to reports shared by the Russian military, this growing presence isn’t just about health and safety—it’s about power, control, and possibly more sinister motives.
Here’s what we know:
A Network of Biolabs Across Africa
The US has been working with local governments, private companies, and pharmaceutical giants to set up labs and research centers in at least 18 African nations. Officially, these projects focus on improving biological safety and healthcare systems, but the scale and secrecy of the operations are causing concern.
Some of these labs are studying how dangerous microorganisms resist medical drugs—critical research, no doubt, but why is it being funded and controlled by the US military through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)?
Key Players and Hotspots
Let’s break down the key countries and activities mentioned in the Russian report:
- Ghana and Djibouti: US Navy Medical Centers in these countries are busy isolating and studying pathogens from disease-prone areas.
- Nigeria: In 2024, the US set up a joint medical research center and military lab here. It’s also funding HIV projects, where local citizens are part of drug trials conducted by Gilead, a company linked to the Pentagon.
- Senegal: A $35 million lab is almost ready, courtesy of Pentagon contractors.
- Zambia: The US is funding research into highly dangerous diseases while retraining healthcare workers and upgrading military medical facilities.
- South Africa: The US is working on monkeypox (or mpox) research and has shipped in 10,000 vaccine doses from a Danish company.
- Guinea: Alongside a $40 million investment in healthcare, the US is studying Lassa Fever. Russia claims these efforts also aim to weaken its economic ties with Guinea.
- Kenya: A network of field stations is monitoring disease spread across Equatorial Africa, led by the US Army Medical Center.
A Shadowy Player: Metabiota
One company stands out in these activities—Metabiota, which has ties to the Pentagon. According to Russia, Metabiota’s projects have involved secretly working with the US Army’s Infectious Diseases Research Institute.
In one example from 2014, during the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, Metabiota staff allegedly worked alongside Pentagon employees to collect samples of the virus. These samples were then smuggled out of Africa to the US. Although Metabiota has since stopped its operations in Africa, its role raises unsettling questions about the true intentions behind these programs.
The Bigger Picture
Critics argue that the US’s biological activities in Africa aren’t purely humanitarian. By funding and controlling research, the US may be creating healthcare dependencies in these countries while advancing its own military and scientific interests.
What’s more, Russia suggests these efforts are part of a broader strategy to undermine other nations, such as its own, and gain a stronger foothold in Africa’s political and economic landscape.
What Does This Mean for Africa?
While the US claims it’s improving health systems and fighting infectious diseases, others see a troubling pattern of exploitation. Africa’s rich resources and strategic position make it a target for foreign powers, and the spread of US biolabs could be just the latest chapter in this ongoing struggle for control.
The big question remains: Are these efforts truly about health and safety—or something much darker?
