RABAT, June 23. /TASS/. Mali and Russia should seriously boost the economic element of bilateral cooperation, military and political analyst Salif Sidibe, resident in Mali’s capital Bamako, told TASS.
"Moving bilateral cooperation to a strategic level, making it multisided and comprehensive would be the biggest success of the official visit of President of the Transition of Mali Assimi Goita to Russia. This would ensure a new shift from temporary and contextual partnership to strategic and long-term cooperation," he said.
"Moreover, it is necessary to seriously boost the economic element in the relations between Mali and Russia. Unfortunately, Russia is often perceived in Africa first of all as a supplier of military equipment, though Russian has huge potential, including technologies adjusted to peculiarities of the African economy. The issue is about agriculture equipment, machines, and equipment for light manufacturing industry," Sidibe added.
Moreover, "the strategic nature of cooperation will enable the two countries to be independent of such factors as changes in leadership and elites," he concluded.
Goita is in Moscow on an official visit. The Kremlin press service reported earlier that Russian President Vladimir Putin would meet President of the Transition of Mali on June 23.