Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger foreign ministers to visit Moscow this week

The foreign ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will visit Moscow this week. They aim to strengthen ties with Russia. This information comes from a joint statement by the three countries' foreign ministries.

These West African nations are led by juntas that took power in recent coups. They have formed an alliance called the Confederation of Sahel States (AES). This group has expelled French and other Western forces. Now, they are seeking military support from Russia.

The foreign ministers will meet in Moscow on April 3 and 4. They will hold discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at his invitation. The ministries stated that this meeting is significant for establishing cooperation between AES and Russia.

They referred to this visit as the first session of "AES-Russia consultations." The armies of these three countries are fighting a jihadist insurgency. This conflict has spread across the region south of the Sahara since it began in Mali 13 years ago.