Mali seeks Russia’s support against ‘terrorists and foreign sponsors’
Malian Economy and Finance Minister Alousseni Sanou says Bamako is counting on Moscow’s support to help defeat armed groups and their alleged foreign backers.
Speaking on Saturday during the second meeting of the Russia-Mali intergovernmental commission in Kazan, Sanou said Mali wanted to deepen cooperation with Russia in security, infrastructure and economic development.
“Russia will always support Mali so that we can stay on our feet and so that we can expel all these terrorists and their foreign sponsors from Mali,” Sanou said.
He added that the visit reflected the commitment of Mali’s interim president, General Assimi Goïta, to strengthen ties with Moscow.
Footage by Viory from the meeting showed Sanou and Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev signing cooperation documents and shaking hands.
According to Sanou, Mali has opened discussions with Russia on railway construction projects as well as the purchase of trains, ships, fertilisers and oil products. Tsivilev described Mali as one of Russia’s key African partners and said both countries were committed to expanding cooperation.
“It is very important not only for our peoples, but also for all the states of the Sahel and other Central African states,” Tsivilev said.
Russia’s Energy Ministry said the talks covered agriculture, energy and transport cooperation.
The two sides also signed a final protocol for the meeting and a memorandum of understanding on standardisation between Russia’s Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology and Mali’s Standardisation and Quality Improvement Agency.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
