The military authorities in Niger, who took control during a coup d’état at the end of July, received a Russian delegation headed by the Deputy Minister of Defence on Monday. Niger announced their arrival on national radio.
This is the first time a representative of the Russian government has paid a formal visit to this nation since the coup on July 26, which severed diplomatic ties between Niger and its allies.
General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of the Nigerien military regime, received a delegation led by Colonel-General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, the Russian Deputy Minister of Defence, on Monday.
The parties “went to the signing of documents as part of the strengthening of military cooperation between the Republic of Niger and the Russian Federation”, suggested authorities in Niger.
With France, a privileged ally of the overthrown regime, as target of Niger’s military, the Russian diplomacy finds itself in a favourable position in Niger while the new government demands the withdrawal of its 1,500 soldiers who were stationed there as a result of jihadist violence.
This Russian delegation visited Bamako, Mali, on Sunday. Bamako is the country’s principal military ally in the region.
According to Alousséni Sanou, Mali’s Minister of Economy and Finance, in a video released by the presidency, the talks focused primarily on “development projects for Mali, in terms of renewable energy and nuclear energy,” as well as “questions linked to the supply of Mali with fertiliser, wheat, and petroleum products.”
