Russian Lavrov To Visit Mali for Military contracts
2023.02.05 12:38
Russian Lavrov To Visit Mali for Military contracts
By Ray Johnson
Budrigannews.com – The Malian foreign ministry announced on Sunday that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Mali for two days this week. The ministry said that the visit is a reflection of their shared desire to strengthen defense and security ties.
Monday will see Lavrov arrive in Bamako. It demonstrates Moscow’s focus on expanding its reach on the continent while it is at odds with Western powers over its invasion of Ukraine and is the first time a Russian foreign minister has visited the West African nation.
Mali’s ruling military junta has turned to Moscow ever since a coup in 2020 brought it to power, even though it has fought with its neighbors and Western nations over election delays and its decision to work with Russian mercenaries to fight an Islamist insurgency.
According to a statement released by the Mali ministry, “This high-level visit is in line with the political choice made by the Transitional Government to expand and diversify strategic partnerships.”
The ministry stated that Lavrov’s visit demonstrates “the firm will of the Malian and Russian heads of state to give new impetus to the relations of friendship and bilateral cooperation… in priority areas, particularly defense and security.”
Al Qaeda and Islamic State-affiliated militants have waged a decade-long insurgency that has spread to neighboring nations, and Mali is fighting them.
Mali was informed by Russian President Vladimir Putin the previous year that Moscow was committed to strengthening cooperation in order to assist in the eradication of the militants. Additionally, it has promised approximately $100 million worth of fuel, fertilizer, and food deliveries.
The deterioration of relations with France, the nation’s former colonial power, has come at the same time as Mali’s growing friendliness with Russia. Paris withdrew all of its troops that had been fighting militants since 2013 as a result of the disagreement last year.
On Tuesday, experts from the United Nations called for an independent investigation into whether the Malian government forces and the Russian private military contractor Wagner Group committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Mali has previously stated that Russian troops in the country are not mercenaries but rather instructors assisting local troops with Russian-purchased equipment.
Lavrov is currently in Baghdad for talks about expanding energy cooperation and enhancing bilateral ties.
