NAIROBI, December 23. /TASS/. Russia will continue helping Sahel countries boost fighting capacities of their national armies, Russian Ambassador to Mali Igor Gromyko said.
"Russia reiterates its intention to continue offering necessary support to the Alliance of Sahel States and helping them boost combat effectiveness of their national armed forces, training servicemen and law enforcement, as well as developing mutually beneficial trade-and-economic cooperation with these states," he told a news conference.
According to the Russian diplomat, Moscow considers the establishment of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as a major step toward consolidating efforts against Islamist groups in the Sahara-Sahel zone. "Being guided by our fundamental principle ‘African solution to African problems,’ be think that this initiative by the leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger fully meets the interests of the peoples of these countries. We are convinced that the establishment of the Alliance will have a positive effect on the formation of a new architecture of regional security," Gromyko stressed.
On September 16, 2023, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger established the "Alliance of Sahel States" confederation, a regional collective security organization. On January 28, 2024, the three states announced their decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which they claim is under foreign influence and poses a threat to its member nations.