MOSCOW, April 3. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop confirmed the two countries' commitment to intensifying mutually beneficial cooperation in the trade, economic and humanitarian fields, the Russian Foreign Ministry said following a ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the Russia-Sahel Alliance consultations.
"During the conversation, a wide range of issues of further strengthening the traditionally friendly Russian-Malian relations were discussed in detail, and the mutual intention to intensify mutually beneficial cooperation in the trade, economic, humanitarian and other fields was confirmed," the Ministry said in a statement. "Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov confirmed Russia's commitment to continue providing comprehensive support to Mali in matters of counterterrorism and achieving sustainable socio-economic development."
The ministry added that the parties confirmed Moscow and Bamako’s common positions on major global issues, including the need to form a more just and polycentric world order based on the rule of international law and the provisions of the UN Charter, and the rejection of external dictates and neo-colonial practices.