00:00In a significant shift in the region's diplomatic and security landscape, the foreign ministers
00:06of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will visit Moscow this week to deepen their strategic
00:11ties with Russia, scheduled for April 3 to 4.
00:15This marks the first AES-Russia consultation since the formation of the Confederation of
00:20Sahel States in 2024.
00:23The visit, it has caused a growing pivot away from the former colonial power, France, and
00:28the regional organization ECOWAS, with its West African nations governed by military
00:33juntas, following a series of calls between 2020 and 2023 seeking political and military
00:38support from Moscow.
00:40This realignment comes as the Sahel region grapples with ongoing jihadist insurgencies
00:44that have devastated local populations, claiming thousands of lives.
00:48As part of the AES-ER1 roadmap shared by Mali, the ministers will engage with Russia Foreign
00:53Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss enhanced cooperation in defense, security, and economic
00:58development.
01:00The AES sees the visit as a crucial step towards advancing their shared goals.
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