The death of the mercenary group’s leader has created a window of opportunity in the Central African Republic for Western powers to offer an alternative.
Tensions hung over a trade summit in Johannesburg after the Biden administration suspended four African countries that had belonged to a program aimed at promoting economic development.
In a region with a history of genocide, weeks of intense fighting between rival military factions in South Darfur have left hundreds dead and sent thousands fleeing.
At a summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, President Vladimir V. Putin offered free grain as he sought to shore up ties with the continent. But lower-than-hoped-for attendance among African leaders hinted at tempering support.
Over decades, Yevgeny V. Prigozhin amassed considerable clout in Russia and built businesses in at least 15 countries. His whereabouts and the future of his extensive portfolio are now uncertain.