Sahel states inching closer to Moscow

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, are cementing ties with Russia following their separation from the ECOWAS partnership and the establishment of the parallel bloc the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in 2023, as covered by Maghrebi Week on August 25th.

A summit with the Russian Defence Minister on 14th August saw the three states further distance themselves from Western allies and produce a joint statement and symbolic agreements on training, arms supply and counterterrorism.

The Sahel has become a new arena for global influence, with Russia seeking African footholds in a resource-rich region and UN leverage on the geopolitical field.

Maghrebi Week