In this episode of OrionTalks, Broderick McDonald and Guy Fiennes join host Suat Cubukcu to discuss the Wagner Group’s expanding relations in the Sahel region and its potential impact on the security and stability of the region. They delve into the specific roles undertaken by the Wagner Group, examining their economic and political motivations, as well as the implications of their involvement in countering rebels and insurgency in the region. Additionally, they assess the Russian government’s interest in Wagner’s activities and explore potential measures the international community can take to address these concerning developments.
Broderick McDonald is an expert on countering extremism, terrorism, and disinformation with more than 10 years of experience across government, academia, and international organizations. He is an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and a Postgraduate Researcher at the University of Oxford. Broderick previously served as a Policy Advisor to the Government of Canada and a researcher with the Non-Partisan Parliamentary Group for Genocide Prevention. Prior to this, he was a Fellow with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and an Assistant Editor of the Perspectives on Terrorism Journal. He is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and an Associate Member of Chatham House.
Guy Fiennes is an OSINT analyst and Aspen UK Rising Leaders Fellow. He is interested in the MENA region and extremism and is currently employed at the NATO and The Global Enduring Disorder Project.
