MOSCOW, April 4. /TASS/. The Alliance of Sahel States, which includes Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, has welcomed Russia's crucial contribution to peace and security in the international arena, according to a joint statement issued after consultations between the foreign ministers of Russia and the alliance countries.
"The alliance welcomed Russia's notable contribution to strengthening international peace and security," the document published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website said.
In turn, the Russian side "strongly valued the leading role and noteworthy efforts of the Alliance of Sahel States as a sustainable model of regional security and recognized its positive contribution to the security of the Sahel region."
"In terms of diplomatic efforts, the sides welcomed the coordination and mutual support in international structures on major political and geostrategic issues based on respect for the principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interconnectedness," the statement said. "The sides welcomed the alignment of views on issues of mutual interest, in particular on depoliticization of human rights issues, non-interference in internal affairs, and equal treatment of states in international structures," the statement added.
The meeting in the format of Russia - Alliance of Sahel States at the level of foreign ministers took place on April 3 in Moscow. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his counterparts from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger took part in the talks.