Russia has committed to helping military governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger acquire arms and training for a planned 5,000-strong force to deploy in the central Sahel region, a statement said.
Niger Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare, Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traore attend a joint news conference following a meeting of Russian foreign Minister with foreign Ministers of the Confederation of Sahel States in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 3, 2025. Pavel Bednyakov/Pool via Reuters
Russia has committed to helping military governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger acquire arms and training for a planned 5,000-strong force to deploy in the central Sahel region, a statement said.
The West African nations, run by juntas that have taken power in coups in recent years, have formed a body known as the Alliance of Sahel States.
The grouping has kicked out French and other Western forces and turned towards Russia, mainly fighters from the Wagner mercenary outfit, for military support. It has also withdrawn from West Africa's main political and economic bloc ECOWAS.
The foreign ministers of the three West African countries travelled to Moscow for meetings beginning on Thursday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Russia voiced "unwavering support" for the joint force announced in January, a joint alliance and Russian statement said.
The ministers agreed to facilitate acquisition of "major and high-performance military equipment and appropriate training" for the force and Russia is ready "to provide the necessary technical assistance", it said.
The statement did not offer details.
The three countries' armies are fighting a jihadist insurgency that has spread across the region south of the Sahara since it first took root in Mali in 2012.
The largely rural insurgency has killed thousands of civilians and displaced millions.
Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet
A new coalition government is taking shape in Berlin, with chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz picking close allies and corporate executives for his cabinet to tackle Germany's economic malaise amid trade tensions and a surging far right.
Russia will continue to target sites used by Ukraine's military, Russia's foreign minister said in an interview broadcast on Sunday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reported that Russia had already conducted 70 attacks.
President Donald Trump and his administration this week will highlight the accomplishments of his first 100 days in office, while looking toward the next 100 days with a focus on trade deals and peace talks, White House officials said.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.