2023-07-03 14:03:24
In a report recently published by the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) new information has come to light regarding pro-Russian political influence in Côte d’Ivoire.
According to this report, Facebook accounts operated from the country were used to amplify narratives suggesting close ties between former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo and Moscow, as well as support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A post on the Facebook page African People’s Party Ivory Coast, claiming to be Gbagbo’s political party, announced an alleged meeting between Gbagbo and Putin in Russia. This publication was quickly shared and amplified by Ivorian Facebook groups as well as a network of pan-African and pro-Gbagbo pages, mostly operated from Côte d’Ivoire.
The report named ” The Disinformation Landscape in West Africa and Beyondalso points out the use of paid advertisements on Facebook to disseminate pro-Russia messages specifically targeting the Ivorian public. These paid campaigns aim to not only amplify stories, but also recruit new subscribers for affiliate accounts. For example, the recently created “Vladimir Putin” Facebook page sponsored a political ad posing as Putin’s official page, in violation of the platform’s rules.
Pro-Russia networks on Facebook in Côte d’Ivoire have also been observed launching coordinated attacks once morest political actors seen as allies of France, including Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara and Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum.
These networks tend to amplify positive messages regarding other political leaders, such as Laurent Gbagbo, suspected of having close ties with Moscow.
The report sheds light on extent of pro-Russian influence in Ivory Coast and raises questions regarding the impact of these amplified narratives on the Ivorian political scene. It also highlights questionable practices used to promote these messages, violating the platforms’ transparency rules.
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