The military that seized power in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso has long sympathized with the Kremlin.
Three African countries in which after coups, the junta came to power, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso formed a military alliance during a joint summit in Niamey.
This is reported by DeepState with reference to statements by the leaders of these countries that maintain friendly relations with Moscow.
Countries are “irrevocably” turning away from the West African ECOWAS bloc, according to Abdurahmane Chiani, Niger’s leader. All three countries left this organization back in January 2024, and suspended their membership even earlier, immediately after a series of military coups.
ECOWAS has previously made efforts to persuade Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to return to democratic rule. At the same time, the junta leaders criticize this alliance for, in their opinion, too close relations with Western countries, primarily France and the United States.
During the summit in the capital of Niger, Niamey a treaty was signed to create a confederation of an alliance of states in the Sahel, the region in western Africa where these three countries are located.
“This summit marks a decisive step for the future of our common space. Together we intend to strengthen the foundations of our true independence, the guarantee of genuine peace and sustainable development through the creation of the confederation “Alliance of Sahel States”. The Alliance has enormous natural potential, which, if properly used, will guarantee a better future for the people of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso,” said Burkina Faso leader Ibrahim Traoré in a statement.
Also, the leaders of three African countries turned to Russia for military assistance.
Experts believe that the Sahel states' severance of relations with the United States and France, as well as the abolition of controls on military spending, were a precondition for a military cooperation agreement with Russia. The military that seized power in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso has long been sympathetic to the Kremlin. In these countries, mercenaries of the Wagner PMC were stationed for several years. The Russian military presence continues there today.
Recall that earlier the military junta of Niger, which seized power in this country in West Africa and was leading a policy of rapprochement with Russia, announced the termination of the agreement that allowed the deployment of American military personnel in the country.
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