Riley Moeder was a Senior Analyst for the Special Initiatives program at the New Lines Institute, focusing her research on North Africa and Strategic Rivalries. Prior to joining the institute, Riley was a program assistant for the United States Institute of Peace in the Middle East and North Africa department. She previously worked at American Enterprises Institute in the Critical Threats Department, researching non-state actors in the Sahel. She attended Lewis & Clark College, where she received her B.A in International Relations. She also studied in Strasbourg, France, where she researched international human rights law and refugee policy.
She received her M.A in International Relations in Security Studies focusing on conflict resolution in North Africa in 2022 from George Washington University.
To disrupt the Wagner Group’s illicit activities in Africa, including human trafficking and resource exploitation, the U.S. should consider using RICO, the law originally written to combat domestic organized crime.
Following Boko Haram’s example, violent extremist groups are attacking educational facilities in the Sahel and Central Africa, leading to further instability that the groups can exploit.
Riley Moeder describes how Cairo is viewing its position surrounded by both the Sudanese conflict and now the Israel-Hamas war.
The Russian private military group Wagner’s past behavior in Africa has exploited resources and created violence in the name of profit. The group is likely to serve as a model for Russia’s foreign policy activities on the continent.
