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Rh monitoring processes in several countries. Undermining democracy has been directly linked to the pursuit of profit through the weakening of government capacity, processes and controls.

Gained access to natural resources on preferential terms, to the detriment of the national economy. In Sudan, Wagner-linked gold mining companies have benefited from generous concessions. The network appears to have a “chokehold” over Libya’s natural resources and export facilities; consequently, “Libyan oil output has drastically decreased”.

23. The consequences of the network’s involvement in the Central African Republic are particularly far-reaching. The Sentry’s many years of investigation led it to warn that CAR is “a successful testing ground for Wagner to perfect the art of state capture with a view to outsourcing it to more vulnerable countries”. The deep involvement of the Wagner Network in the country is examined in Box 1 and shows the growing reliance of the CAR national government on the network for security. In the process, this undermines freedom of the press, political opposition, good governance, international engagement and even potentially the national constitution.

Box 1: Case study on the Wagner Network’s involvement in the Central African Republic