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

The foreign ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are set to visit Moscow this week to deepen cooperation with Russia.

This follows their recent shift away from Western alliances, particularly France.

The meeting, scheduled for April 3 and 4, comes at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

It marks the first official AES-Russia consultations, emphasizing security and military collaboration.

The three Sahel nations, governed by military juntas, have formed the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) and are battling a persistent jihadist insurgency.

Their pivot toward Russia highlights a broader geopolitical realignment in West Africa, as they seek alternative military partnerships to address regional security challenges.