Defense cooperation with Moscow has strengthened the capabilities of AES armed forces, Niger’s foreign minister Bakary Yaou Sangare said
Russia remains the Alliance of Sahel States’ (AES) “main partner” in combating terrorism, Niger’s Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the second ministerial meeting between Russia and the AES in Niamey, Sangare said that the AES were satisfied with the implementation of their previous agreements, particularly in the defense sector, where several accords had strengthened the capabilities of AES armed forces in the fight against terrorism.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow and the Alliance share a common vision of a multipolar world order and oppose “neo-colonial practices” imposed by Western countries. He added that the Alliance had made significant progress in regional integration and in building a new security architecture.
Speaking about diplomatic missions, Lavrov noted Russia had completed its presence across the Alliance with the opening of its embassy in Niger.
The minister also said the third Russia-Africa Summit would be held in Moscow and that President Vladimir Putin had invited the leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to attend.
The AES was established in 2023 by the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger following a series of coups across the Sahel. The three military-led governments have cut defense ties with France, accusing their former colonial power of failing to contain the deadly jihadist insurgency devastating the Sahel and have expanded security ties with Russia.
In April, Russian military instructors and personnel from the Africa Corps, a Russian Defense Ministry unit deployed in Mali, provided air support to help Malian forces prevent the militants from seizing key sites, including the presidential palace in Bamako, officials said.
Beyond defense, AES members are also seeking closer cooperation with Moscow in other sectors, including civil nuclear energy. In February, Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore told RT that cooperation with Russia’s Rosatom was underway under a signed memorandum and that Burkinabe students were already training in Russia.
Lavrov arrived in Niger on Wednesday for his first official visit to the country. Niamey is the second stop on the Russian foreign minister’s African tour, which began in Ethiopia.
