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In a landmark move to boost its influence in Africa, Russia last week hosted its first official military consultations with the defense chiefs of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — members of the recently formalized Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The high-level talks in Moscow, led by Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, concluded with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation. Russia is ready to provide “comprehensive assistance” to ensure stability in the Sahel, Belousov said, as the region battles an expanding jihadist insurgency. The Sahelian trio, all governed by military juntas, have turned away from former colonial power France and severed ties with the Western-aligned ECOWAS bloc. Their pivot toward Moscow has been marked by growing military coordination, including Russian security deployments and training programs.
“Defense is currently the largest area of cooperation between our countries,” said Malian Defense Minister Sadio Camara, speaking on behalf of the AES. Russia’s new initiative follows the June withdrawal of the Wagner Group from Mali and its replacement by a Kremlin-controlled force, Africa Corps. Formed as a mutual defense pact in 2023 and formalized as a confederation this July, the pro-Russian bloc AES was created, according to Belousov, as a “result of a free choice by the Sahelian peoples their commitment to sustainable peaceful development.” The AES thus represents both a rejection of Western influence and a vehicle for strategic alignment with Moscow — signaling a dramatic realignment in the security architecture of West Africa.
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