This archive report was first published on 31 October 2019.
On October 31, 2019, Facebook suspended three Russian accounts accused of interfering with African politics, sparking concerns about foreign influence in the continent.
The social media giant claimed the accounts were supporting a select number of pro-Russian politicians and deriding pro-democracy activists in several African countries, including Madagascar, the Central African Republic, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, and Cameroon.
The move comes just a week after the Africa-Russia Summit in Sochi, which saw 54 African states represented, including 43 Heads of State.
According to the Voice of America, leaked documents revealed that companies and groups affiliated with the Russian government have been cooperating with African politicians and interfering in elections, with Madagascar's president Andry Rajoelina allegedly winning the election with Russian support.
Over 1.72 million Facebook accounts had 'liked' the now-removed pages, according to The Stanford Internet Observatory.
