Moscow hosts security talks with Sahel states

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has held talks with his counterparts from Burkina Faso and Niger on potential areas of security cooperation with the Western African nations.

The meetings were hosted on the sidelines of the tenth Army 2024 International Military-Technical Forum taking place near Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.

The Russian defense chief, Burkina Faso’s Kassoum Coulibaly, and Niger’s Hamadou Djibo Bartier also discussed issues related to “strengthening security in Central Africa,” according to the ministry.

The engagements with the Burkinabe and Nigerien officials followed a meeting between Belousov and the Malian and Central African Republic defense ministers. The talks involving Bamako and Bangui on Tuesday also centered on the expansion of bilateral defense cooperation, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“There was an exchange of views on the most pressing issues of the international situation and regional security,” it added.

The representatives from Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and the Central African Republic are among some 110 foreign military delegations that the Russian Defense Ministry said have been invited to attend the three-day Army 2024 forum.

Addressing the opening session on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the event has proven to be a platform that fosters constructive cooperation between Moscow and other governments. He added that more than 120 foreign companies have registered to participate in the forum.

The agenda of the event, according to Putin, is to offer “grand-scale presentations of the most advanced and largely unique achievements of Russia’s defense manufacturers,” which include over 240 export versions of weapons and other kinds of military and specialized hardware.

“We treasure our partnerships and are committed to developing them by working together with others in order to ensure equal and indivisible security and build a new, fairer multipolar world order,” Putin stated.

In an interview with Sputnik on Wednesday, Burkinabe Defense Minister Coulibaly lauded the organizers for making this year’s event “really enriching.” 

“There was a major innovation, which was a kind of seminar for the participants, because not only was there the equipment, but also there were the presentations that were made on the feedback in all areas,” he was quoted as saying.

Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali have in recent months sought increased security cooperation with Russia to combat a decade-old jihadist insurgency in the Sahel. All three landlocked West African states have expelled French troops who had been involved in a counterterrorism mission in the region, citing their failure to quell the militants.

Russia has committed to helping the troubled Sahel states and the Central African Republic, which has also endured decades of militant violence and political insecurity, tackle the long-standing threats.